"Get lost," I screamed across my shoulder while having a massive sense of Deja Vu and urging the Vengeful Mount to greater speed.

The soft padding of the massive bird that came from behind me made me almost wish I had stuck with walking. Almost. Spotting a dense area of burned looking bushes, I steered closer towards it. Holding the reins with one hand and the ax handle with another, I cast two Entangles as I passed close to the bushes. The shaking and thumping of the horse's steps made it harder than normal, and I barely managed to make all of the gestures without fumbling.

The green glow shot from my hands, and a section of bushes swayed before the branches elongated and shot towards the thing that was chasing me. A loud screech gave me an instant headache, but I didn't stop and continued forward, casting more Entangles on any bush I passed.

Ten minutes later, I heard the angry screeches of the massive bird fade behind me. It was struggling to get through the massive forest of Entangling bushes I had left in its path, and I hoped it wouldn't manage to get through. Taking a deep breath, I took out the map and gauged the remaining distance. Less than an hour, and I would be out of this danger zone. Having a mount had shaved days from my journey, and I just hoped I could squeak through the last part of the journey with it.

Nudging Random, as I had taken to calling the Vengeful Spirit inhabited Mount, forward, I prayed to Rathica that I would make it before that terror bird got through.

The forest around me began thinning, chopped down stumps appearing frequently and signs of recent incursions by large groups of beings. Fin'r Goblins, I presumed. The end of the danger zone was easy to recognize. A wide stretch of trees was chopped down, and far to the left and right, I saw two stone and wood guard towers. Those were a surprise, and looking on the map, I saw them appear as if a mysterious force drew a dot.

Either that Goblin lied, or they are building towers constantly.

About to head on, I heard a soft noise from behind me, deeper into the forest. Had I not seen the bird, I might not have checked, but still spooked, and imagining the terror bird, I turned to find three Goblins trying to sneak up on me. They started as I looked at them but then charged. They had spears and swords and the same leather armor I had seen the others wear.

"KLAOGH HIM ADLI!

A soft ping came from my status, which would have to wait. With a tug on the reins, I turned Random and charged forward. Random headed straight for the middle Goblin, but it dropped its spear and rolled out of the way. The other two jabbed at Random's sides, but the spears slid away just slightly scraping the Hardened Wood.

Gripping the ax handle, missing the blade already, I rolled off the side of Random. "Kill them!" I said, turning to the left-most Goblin and swinging the handle like a quarterstaff. Moments later, I stared down at the three unmoving bodies, two trampled beyond recognition and the other with a bashed-in skull.

Looking around, I didn't see any more, and I quickly scavenged their bodies, taking two swords and a dagger while wishing they had had a bow. I needed to get ranged weaponry or a spell.

Mounting Random, I headed back towards the edge of the danger zone. Beyond the wide stretch of empty terrain, I saw the dark green trees of the Howling Forest. I had always thought of it as a dark and depressing place, but it looked positively pleasing compared to the Hag woods behind me.

According to the map, there was another Goblin town, but if I moved to the edge and right, I would be able to circumvent it. All I had to do was get past any patrols and ride for another half a day. Looking at the two guard towers, I could barely make out two small movements at the top. If I could see them, they could see me, but if I rushed as fast as I could, what could they do? Waiting until it became dark didn't appeal to me one bit. I wanted to get away from the bird as fast as possible.

Making up my mind, I gripped Random's reins, bent low across its crooked neck, and rushed across the open area. The wooden, badly made hooves thudded into the mud, shattering the relative quiet of before. Halfway across, a horn echoed from the right, and a moment later, another from the left. The guards had spotted me.

It didn't matter. They wouldn't reach me before I got to the cover of the forest.

When I was a few meters from the dark and lush undergrowth, I slowed down enough that Random wouldn't break a leg. I didn't have time to fix it, if I even could.

Disappearing into the undergrowth, the horns behind me dampened to a dull sound like a cow's moo.

--

Half a day later, I had dispatched two small patrols and circumvented a small town or camp. I stood on the edge of another spacious, chopped-down section of the Howling Forest, annoyed and angry. According to the map, the dense wall of tangle-wood ahead of me was the Angry Vine forest entrance. Looking at the mass of vegetation, I knew there was no way I could bring Random along.

No matter how far I moved either way, I hadn't found any area that seemed less dense. Dismounting, I looked at the wooden horse for a short while, sighed again, and turned to the Angry Vine forest. If everything continued like this, I would make it way ahead of schedule, which was hopefully a good thing.

"Follow me and hide in the densest bush you can find. Then wait," I ordered Random. I got no reply, save for a weak sense of acknowledgment, and with a last look around I ran across the open area. The sun was setting, and my long shadow rushed ahead of me, reaching the forest before I did. Feeling my legs loosen up, I enjoyed the sensation of moving on my own for the first time in a few days.

The edge of the Angry Vine forest was even worse up close. A tangled mass of vines and plants that looked more like a wall than vegetation. Keeping my bag and ax-handle close, I pushed inside, feeling branches snag. I prayed I wouldn't get a hole in my bag.

At least there are no thorn bushes, I thought before flinching. Had I just jinxed myself?

A few hundred meters in, I stumbled across a dozen crushed goblin skeletons. They still had some bits of leather armor, and a few rusted swords lay beside them. Vines curled around the corpses, and from the cracked skulls and snapped bones, I knew the vines had been the things that killed them. Looking at them, I wondered why the vines had attacked them, and more importantly, why they hadn't attacked me and how I could keep it that way.

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As I continued, I came across more corpses, some still with rotting flesh covering them. I didn't see any obvious reason why they had been attacked and didn't feel the least bit comforted that I might be fine.

Hours later, in the dead of night, I was still pushing through the massive thicket. Bone tired, hungry, and annoyed, I shoved a thick carpet of vines away and stumbled out into the open. Startled, I looked around my greyish surroundings. Trees stood spread out sparsely, and there was barely any undergrowth save for a few fallen trees covered in mushrooms. The difference from moments before was shocking. Looking up, I saw the star-filled sky, the occasional cloud gently flowing by.

That's almost too easy, isn't it? I thought before I could catch myself. Looking around, I almost expected a monster to jump at me, but nothing happened.

Taking out the map, I saw I had diverged from the path a little, but I wasn't that far from where I had to go. Perhaps a day more, which would leave me with six days to the deadline Rathica had given me.

I found shelter in the nearest tree, smaller than I would prefer, but better than sleeping on the ground. Still, the knowledge that anything big could find me made it almost impossible to fall asleep. When a soft twittering of birds started, I jumped, and my bleary eyes snapped open.

And another day dawns.

I groaned as a slight headache began thumping in my skull from sleep deprivation. Looking around to make sure everything was safe, I found only dark soil, surprisingly evenly spread out trees, and the occasional sapling or bush.

I was just sitting below the tree, munching on some dry rations and swallowing a few swigs of water, when a scream of torment shattered the silence of the Angry Vine forest. I froze, my hand half raised to my mouth.

It came from that Vine Wall!

Looking at the wall, I saw nothing, but a moment later I heard another scream. Getting up, my ax ready, I wondered if I should go look. I had the time, but what would I gain from it?

A man-tall column of fire roared from the bushes a few hundred meters from where I stood. The bushes curled up, and black greasy smoke slithered up from them like snakes, which dissipated a few meters up.

I grabbed my bag and rushed around the tree. Sneaking a covert glance around, I saw nothing, but I started hearing voices from the smoldering corridor the fire had made.

Looking around, I saw a tree further away and ran for it, hiding behind it.

"-easy, you dimwit, we didn't go in here to slaughter them all because before now there wasn't anything bleeding worthwhile here!" a high-pitched female voice shouted, and I quickly peeked around the tree.

Two figures emerged from the still smoking passage through the vines. One was massive, wearing ashen colored pants and with a bare upper chest rippling with muscles. His hands were covered in two dull black gauntlets that seemed a size too large. He was holding a large pack with one hand, dragging it across the ground.

The other was a woman with an ashen cloth half-robe, covering part of her similar pants. She was a head smaller than the other. Both had a large wad of chaotic bright red hair from which small sparks sprayed.

They're like that fire mage I killed in the library, I thought, cursing silently.

The two moved further, and I kept my eyes on the opening, but no more came out.

"You're sure we will be the first?" The bare-chested man said.

"Curse your stupid brain! Why did Cinderage ever make you the next bleeding Prime?" the woman snapped, almost spitting at him.

The man snorted. "Because the next Prime has to convince those new'uns to follow him, and who would wan'a listen to anything that comes from that foul mouth of yours?"

The woman's hair burned brighter for a moment, and then a litany of curses and insults came that caused my mouth to fall open.

"-ugly Glathacin, you were conceived by your dog faced father on a dead hog before your piss-filled sack of sorry was born into a shit-filled cesspool-" the woman screamed, her voice so fast I didn't understand how she could even breathe in between.

Staring at the small, lit woman rip loose like the goddess of fish-wives, I wondered if she had some skill for it. Probably max level as well.

"Enough, Listrin," the man snapped. Stepping forward, he tried to grab her, but she nimbly dodged out of the way and continued in a raised voice.

She began mixing in a name, Richal, and the man glared at her, making me believe it was probably his name. The man bellowed in frustration, his voice echoing far and wide before he turned around and stomped deeper into the forest.

Waiting until the loud cursing voice had almost disappeared, I got up from behind the tree and started sneaking after them.

The cursing continued so long I was starting to become more than a little impressed. I wonder if she is getting skill level-ups from this…I should try it sometime.

Hours later, I was still trailing the two followers of Cinderage and had heard a great many useless things and a single useful one.

"You're sure that new Deity’s Prime was the one that killed crazy old Ulster?" Richal grunted, just loud enough for Est to overhear.

"Yes, you flee-brained vermin!" Listrin growled, not even looking at Richal.

Why the hell do they keep her around? I thought and then shivered. The only reason I could think of was that she was very, very, good at whatever it was that she did.

"And she's bloody called Rathica! Remember what Cinderage tells you with that poor excuse of a brain you might or might not have in that ugly watermelon-sized thing you call a head!"

Richal ignored her remarks, mumbling something to himself that I couldn't understand.

Two hours later, Richal stopped and pointed at something I couldn't see while hiding behind the tree.

"We're almost there. We should be the first to arrive. Who should we force the first entrance status on? Or do you wa'a use it for ourselves?" Richal said.

Why he still bothered asking her things was beyond me.

This time Listrin was silent for a while, and then she suddenly grinned. "Let's put it on that new Prime, see what he's made of. Killing Ulster isn't something either of us could have done, so if we can get him to die in the initial traps, that would be great."

A nasty smirk came on Listrin's face. "And if he dies, that will be the end of that new Deity! Can you imagine how happy Cinderage will be with us if we mastermind her return to oblivion?"

Wait- if I die, something will happen to Rathica? I frowned, then took a deep breath as my mind began racing. So the first one at the gate or whatever can force who has to enter? I snuck back until I was sure I was out of earshot of the two before running in a wide circle around them. Sneaking from tree to tree, it took me a few moments to reach a position where I saw what Richal had pointed at.

Ruined pillars carved to resemble trunks and vines stood between the trees, and a single massive gnarled tree stood in their midst. Its middle was hollowed out, and from where I stood, I saw something glimmer inside.

I wonder if I can reach it before them and without them seeing, I thought, uncertain of what to even do if I did.