At the south exit, a small bridge led to a downward slope of the rocky peak. The exit had more guards and barricades than the front entrance. With such a good view of the place, Fiona stopped and swept her eyes over the place called Toad Hollow.

A tapestry of craggy peaks encircled the area, as though the land itself were swaddled within the arms of these towering titans. The terrain was sprawled with scattered pools of water, beaten-down sheds, abandoned cabins, and bushes that stood as tall as a grown man. Fortuitously, there remained ample ground for wayfarers to navigate Toad Hollow, albeit with a cautious eye kept on the creatures that plagued the region.

Lullin, nestled amid this rugged, yet sticky landscape, functioned as one of those essential waypoints where travelers sought respite during their arduous journeys. In stark contrast to the bustling vibrancy of Valis, Lullin served as a mere pause in the journey, a place for weary wanderers to catch their breath and prepare for the next leg of their expedition. The only notable places that neighbor the place were the Wasteful Wetlands and another settlement at the end of Toad Hollow called Hillbury.

Fiona clicked her tongue as she tugged at her collar. “Yuck, I’m already sweating from this damn heat. Seriously, how do these people live in such a place?”

“It’s called being used to it,” Reo said.

“You weren’t supposed to answer that.” Fanning herself, Fiona approached the nearest guard; a clean-shaven man who looked to be a few years older than her. He tipped his head when he noticed her coming up.

“Judging by you folks’ appearance, you must be explorers–or some well off bandits,” the guard said with a toothy grin. “Are you the explorers sent by the guild to investigate?”

Fiona nodded. “And judging by your appearance, you seem to be one of the guards protecting Lullin’s rear. Fending off against beasts and other unsightly things must take its toll on someone as young as you. Because of that, you don’t mind if I ask you a couple of questions regarding the investigation? Your input, no matter how small, would be extremely useful.”

“We’re not really busy at the moment, so I can spare a few minutes. Especially for a beautiful woman such as yourself.”

Despite Reo's gagging noise gaining her attention, she chose to disregard it and carry on. “Lovely! You’ll be doing Lullin and the Explorer Guild a great service. I won’t waste your time and get right to it; when exactly did you notice the peculiarities regarding the beasts?”

“Around four to five days ago, I suppose. Before the surge of beasts, Lullin wasn’t all that worried about them. They usually minded their own business and did what beasts do in the wild. Since our small settlement rested on high ground and is adequately defended, it was nearly impossible to breach the bridge, let alone approach it.”

“But as the days went on, their ferocity against us increased. Just yesterday, Holden–may Sthito bless his soul–got slit in the throat by a dragonfly. Foul thing darted for the man and used its nasty mandibles. It usually spares us a glance and flies away. Let’s just say we couldn’t save him on time.”

The guard took a brief pause, frowning. “Anyway, what’s done is done. We’re waiting for a shipment of new armaments coming over from Ironworks, which should arrive today. Until the problem is solved, or Toad Hollow goes back to some normalcy, we’ll need to gear up and expect the worst.”

If their expectation was to receive a delivery from Ironworks, which was on the opposite side of the Wasteful Wetlands, then they could potentially experience a delay. It was just a hunch to Fiona, but if the problem surrounding Toad Hollow was a lot worse than she thought, a simple gear up wouldn’t do them any good. Usually, whenever there was unrest among the beast, it led to some catastrophic situations, similar to stampedes. Either the beasts are frightened because of something and are relocating, or are ferocious because their homeland was invaded.

When Fiona glanced at her friends, both sharing a serious expression, she knew they had the same thoughts. If the shipment wasn’t to arrive the day it was scheduled to, then there really was something going on in the swamp, thus confirming their suspicions. Additionally, if it turned out to be something way out of their league, like the emergence of a beast, then they would have no choice but to relinquish the contract to a group better suited.

As much as she hated to say it, the contract danger level would increase alongside the rewards. Relinquishing such a thing to another group higher in ranking left a sour taste in her mouth. Another group would receive said rewards, and with that came a positive record to use for rank promotions.

Should I just say damn it all and have us solve the problem instead in case it grows into something big?

Immediately upon considering those thoughts, Fiona condemned herself for her own idiocy. As the leader of Blue Dawn, the safety and well-being of her friends was her responsibility. Indulging in what-ifs at the cost of Reo and Grant’s trust was such an asshole move she had to inwardly slap herself; she’d rather spend time in the academy Isolatarium.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Control yourself, Fiona. Don’t get ahead of yourself and be a proper leader. You’ll need the experience later down the road.

“Fiona, are you feeling well?” Grant asked. “Your cheeks are turning red.”

“Yeah, I’m alright. I was just thinking of something unsavory, nothing to worry about.” She looked at the guard. “I have one last question for you. Have you noticed anything unusual that we should know?”

The young man folded his arms and frowned. “Mayor Ward hasn’t informed you about that yet? That’s quite surprising. I don’t know if it’s important, but I might as well tell you. I’m sure you know Lullin is considered a ‘rest stop’ meant for travelers to rest for a day or two and be on their way to the next settlement.”

“A while ago, in the dead of night, a group of carriages came strolling by. Instead of taking a short break here, they instead pushed on through, as if unfazed by the mud and beasts. Weirdly enough, the ones driving the wagons didn’t seem like your average traveler.”

“All of them donned cloaks over their bodies, along with white bandages that veiled half of their faces. And instead of horses or arvians, they used buffalo to pull the carriages. In my short years in this world, I’d bet my left leg they were up to no good. From what I could tell, they were heading toward Hillbury.”

“Interesting…” Fiona mumbled. “I think that’s enough questions I have for you. You’ve been a major help.”

He winked and said, “I’ll be here if you have any more questions to ask.”

Blue Dawn gave a brief nod and a wave to the guards of Lullin before trudging down the craggy summit. Upon departing the secure confines of Lullin, they abruptly halted once their feet made contact with the pliant soil, producing a sound reminiscent of crushing ripe tomatoes. Fiona knew what she was getting into when she accepted a contract that led to a swamp, but she was having second thoughts already. Cleaning her boots of mud and other grime would be a hassle. Maybe she should ask Reo to clean it for her later…

“Stop gawking at your boots and get moving,” Reo said suddenly.

He and Grant had already started their progress through Toad Hollow. Not wanting to get left behind, Fiona rushed forward and plopped herself between them.

“What do you guys think about the whole situation?” she asked. “Frankly, I think those weird guys he talked about might be the cause.”

Grant was the first to speak. “I also agree. The arrival of the enigmatic caravan sounded like it might be related to the restless creatures. One might ask why they would wear cloaks and conceal their faces in a swamp. Also, instead of taking a break or replenishing supplies in the dead of night, they kept on moving. The situation is fraught with danger.”

“We should check out Hillbury after we’re done with Toad Hollow and some parts of the Wasteful Wetlands,” Reo declared. “We might find something worthwhile there.”

“Good idea, Reo. We should approach this situation with utmost caution. If it proves too much for us, we’ll have to notify Lullin and inform them more capable guild members will take over. Right, Fiona?”

While the idea didn’t set well, Grant was right. Best to let the more experienced members handle it than a bunch of newcomers. Blue Dawn was just freshly made, just after the last monthly exam.

Compared to the older groups like Crimson Wolves or Shadowless, they were merely small fish in a big pond filled with sharks and leviathans. And just like any organization that has members formed into groups, you had to tread carefully about how you develop relationships. It would be unwise for Blue Dawn to antagonize their superiors, as it could damage their reputation.

In order to secure tastier contracts down the line, she had to weigh the options of sabotage, cooperation, and networking. Above all, being referred by a gold or diamond-ranked group would have a tremendous impact on promotions. The Explorer Guild and Valis Academy of Sorcery were much alike in that regard. It dawned on Fiona too late that their peers and their aptitude fashioned a student's image and position at school.

While lost in contemplation, Grant extended his arm to halt the group's progress. Then, without warning, he stepped forward and brought out his armaments.

“It appears the beasts are itching to fight us,” he said.

A congregation of nine poison-sac toads had leaped over to the group. Under the sunlight, their sleek skin shone while their green sacs pulsed like sickly hearts. Fiona swallowed back her disgust as she raised her staff.

“At times like these, I’m so glad I don’t have to fight up close. Grant, Reo, you know what to do.”

The pair nodded, weapons in hand, and charged forward as Fiona began whipping up her first spell: Inferno Wave. Gripping her staff and shouting the incantation, she swung it horizontally, as if she was handling a sword, and out came a wave of flames that swept across the field. Steam arose from the wet soil as the flame swallowed three of the toads. The beasts writhed and croaked, their poison sacs rupturing in the heat.

Grant, clad in armor and wielding a broadsword and shield, charged forward. He swung his blade in wide arcs, cleaving through the toads that had escaped Fiona’s fiery onslaught. His shield deflected a stream of poisonous bile that one of the toads spat in desperation, the deadly liquid dribbling down the sturdy armament. In another motion, he cleaved through its entire torso, severing it in half as it released one final croak.

Reo, nimble as a shadow, moved with grace amid the chaos. He brandished his twin daggers; the blades glinting menacingly. With swift, precise strikes, he darted for the last three. For the first, he stabbed both daggers into its head and swung downward. A sprinkle of blood burst forth, yet Reo was already onto the next; the same procedure followed, and he killed the remaining two without so much as a stain on his leather braces.

They weren’t kidding at all, Fiona mused. It hadn’t even been ten minutes since they left, and a bunch of toads already attacked them! There was seriously something wrong going on, but it was hard to pinpoint.

Before she could ponder further, more croaks and wet slapping filled the area. Near a tiny shed nestled in front of a large pool of water was a large crowd of toads halfway submerged. Beady, slit pupils fixed their gaze on the slack-jawed explorers.

They looked at their fallen brethren, whose corpses were cut in half and shriveled, and let out a loud croak that caused the water to ripple. Soon, they each bounded right out of the water and toward the group.

Fiona turned sharply. “Nope, not taking all of them head on. Get your asses moving!”

“Couldn’t agree more,” Reo replied. “Can’t be wasting our mana and energy on fodder.”

With their mind made up, the three ran in the opposite direction, entering deeper into Toad Hollow.