Hope you enjoy this chapter! :-D

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Chapter 13 – Forest of Spirits

Moving along, we came across a forest. Reila explains to me that this is the Raquos Forest. It seems that it is quite famous for its spirits but it seems that they are quite harmless. Entering the forest Fala noticed a humanoid shape gas and warned us.

Fala: Is that a spirit?

Reila: They are quite creepy aren’t they…

Nelus: A spirit… I want to examine it…

Reila: Lord Nelus!?

I walked closer to the spirit and it seems to notice us.

Spirit: Get out!!! Geeettt  oouuuttt!!…. Geeeeettttttt!!!!! Oooouuuuutttt!!!!!

Reila: E-eekk!! L-l-l-l-lo-lo-lord Nelus!? Its coming closer.

Frei: I’ll handle this!

Nelus: I think you shouldn’t its…

Not listening to me Frei attacked the spirit. He summons a dagger made of ice and disappears from sight. He appeared behind the spirit, slashing it vertically and made the dagger explode within it. No effect as I expected…

Frei: Huh that should’ve taken care of it… I mean spirits are quite weak after…

Not waiting to finish his sentence, the spirit grabs Frei and threw him in the direction of the entrance.

???: I told you to leave!

With God’s Eyes I’m well aware of its power.

CaliceTitle:Queen of the SpiritsRace:SpiritGenderFemaleLevel:843ClassSoul HolderExistence:X-E

So she has reached the capabilities of a God an X rank… oh? Another spirit came.

LopaTitle:Simple SpiritRace:SpiritGenderMaleLevel:39Class-Existence:D-E

Nelus: …

Lopa: Hmm? Why are you looking at me like that…

Nelus: (Normally if your rank is so low you can’t have a title yet… so that means he gained an epic achievement let us see… achievement gained… Epitome of Average… should I be amazed?) Nothing…

Calice: I was suppose to scare them away!

Lopa: My lord you forgot your lunch.

Calice: …Thank you…

Reila: U-uhm what does spirits eat?

Lopa: Oh you are interested? Well it mostly consist of animal souls.

Reila: Can spirits eat a human soul or maybe an elf…?

Lopa: No it is against…

Calice: Lopa! Enough! You bunch now leave or you will lose your lives!

Frei: I think its too late for that…

Fala: Frei! You’re back!

Fala said while having a bright smile on her face.

Nelus: She is an X rank being.

Frei: Well that explains how it felt like it was holding back.

Calice: Hahh…Well might as well introduce myself… my name is Calice the queen of the spirits and here is Lopa…

Lopa: Greetings.

Just then Calice, formed into a more human like form unlike the smoky humanoid we had seen before. She has a majestic violet hair curled at the end, beauty incomparable to most, a slender yet proportionate body and pale white skin. Afterwards we introduced each one of ourselves to her.

Nelus: Why do you want us to leave?

Calice then look deeply at Nelus before answering as she then continued...

Calice: You don’t seem like bad people so I’ll tell you… a month ago a group of people came to the forest and was treated fairly. They asked for directions with Lopa here… but instead they followed him to our kingdom and stole our treasure…

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Reila: What kind of treasure?

Calice: It was the "Soul Orb"… it is worthless in others hands but they didn’t know that. To others it is just a normal rock but to us it is the most important treasure.

Nelus: What does it do?

Calice: It harvests the souls of the dead with more efficiency.

Nelus: I see… which direction were they headed?

Calice: To the south from here… Why are you asking? Do you intend to get it for us?

Nelus: Yes… if we do will you guide us to the other side of the forest?

Calice: Sure and I’ll also give you this artifact. Since I can't just let you do something like that for free or are there other reasons why you intend to do so?

Nelus: None, also what is it?

Calice then sighed as she was unable to read Nelus as she bitterly smiled and said...

Calice: I made it… it lets you unleash the full potential of your soul but be warned it cannot be used except when its truly needed… it is a complicated artifact but it is truly worth it…

Nelus: I see well… and where is your kingdom?

Lopa: Beneath the forest.

Calice: Lopa…

Nelus: Will you let us see it?

Calice: Sure… well it seems that I can trust you enough... at least for now.

Fala: What makes you so sure?

Calice: I can see if a soul is corrupted and none of you seems to be in any state of such.

On the west side of the forest the trees just seem to disappear and what appeared was… transparent houses and a huge palace in the middle.

Reila: Wow!! It is so amazing and the palace looks stunning!

Calice: W-well… thank you for the compliments… this kingdom is everything to me… and without that stolen soul orb it will be harder for us to harvest a whole soul… which will starve many.

Spirits: It’s the queen!!!

Male Spirit: She looks so beautiful… I wish that I can marry her…

Female Spirit: Shut up! You know that Lady Calice…

Calice: Cannot marry…

Female and Male Spirit: Were sorry!!

Reila: Y-you can’t?

Calice: Yes… to spirit rulers like spirit kings and queens, marriage is like forming a contract once we have chosen someone… we can be summoned and we will give them our power in exchange for a soul link… only normal spirits marry.

Nelus: Link like with the God’s?

Calice: No… not like the links with God’s it is more like a spiritual link… God’s cannot link with spirit rulers also it is needed for the spirit ruler to accept their partner first before they can link with someone.

Fala: It doesn’t sound like marrying someone at all… uuuuu…

Calice: Haha. No that much is more romantic than it seems as you will always stay with that person even if apart even if not physically and you can access each others minds anywhere.

Frei: If you say so… can you have a spiritual link with anyone?

Calice: No... just one.

Nelus: Also can you explain what the people who stole the orb looks like?

Calice: Sure, Lopa come!

Lopa: Yes my Lord.

Calice: Describe what those men look like…

Lopa: I didn’t see their faces but all of them where wearing black robe with a symbol of a black pentagram.

Nelus: I see…

Calice: Please get it back as soon as possible… I can’t leave the forest and other spirits cannot touch the soul orb.

Nelus: We will.

Calice: Stay for a while… rest first then go… it would be rude to suddenly send you away after just arriving.

Reila: Thanks! Lady Calice.

Calice: No problem at all.

Male Spirits-in-unison: Lady Calice’s smile… so wonderful!!!

They said as most of them faints. Calice sighed as a wry smile appeared on her face.

Frei: This place sure looks lively…

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Hope you enjoyed this chapter! :-D