Chapter 5: Forest Theatre

“This part of the Graywoods is safe. But if we go any deeper, we might get ourselves in all sorts of trouble.” Doctor Kuran states as he walks down a dark, forest road.

Behind him is Lunde and a few other soldiers and scouts from the encampment. Treading through the night in the forest named the Graywoods, they scour the area slowly, doing their best not to break a twig with each step whilst preparing for a possible ambush.

The pine trees slowly wave in the evening wind, and critters can be heard chirping and squeaking all around. Occasionally, they hear a wolf-like howl in the distance. It makes Lunde worry for Ember who lays in agony back at the camp.

“The suspicious nurse couldn’t have gotten far; the left a trail of Emotio energy that is still fresh.” Lunde indicates, as he uses his Curio magic-infused lantern to guide the way. The lamp emits a soft blue-green light that mildly illuminates the immediate surroundings. It also projects a line of magical energy that has extended itself forth on the road like a growing vine, leading the group to the whereabouts of who they are looking for.

“That nurse was probably a spy from our good old neighbors, the kingdom of Longinus. This is my fault, I should have known and double-checked the logbook as soon as Ember was rushed in.” Kuran states, feeling regretful and grasping his sword even tighter. “Lunde, you could have gone with the messengers to look for help at the capital. Why’d you have to rush out with us?” he continues.

“I…don’t know. But once this is over, I’ll head out for Goldensky as soon as I can. It’ll take a day using the Griffin Carriage. We still got time.” Lunde replies, with a wistful look on his face, as they continue moving forward following the magical trail.

“You angry, son?” Kuran asks casually while looking ahead.

Lunde remains silent, but deep inside, his anger masks his sadness. He wishes he was more observant to Ember and perhaps he could have prevented the tragedy from happening. At that very moment, he wishes that he could turn something impossible into something possible with a snap of his fingers.

“People mess up. Shit happens. Shit we can’t easily fix, but we wish we could.” the doctor says, seeing the pain in Lunde’s eyes. “Best thing to do is what we can do. Like lopping this bastard’s head off once we get our hands on him” he adds.

“My notebook is missing. The nurse probably took that too.” Lunde says, finally breaking his silence.

“Let me personally lop his head off.” an agitated Kuran comments.

A few skulking paces later, the team makes it to a clearing in the forest. There is nothing there but the surrounding trees that look like walls enclosing them in and the bright full-moon acting as a spotlight to their entrance. Lunde, the ever-perceptive, senses something is off.

Looking around from a slope on the edge of the clearing, he sees the area as a grand stage: something is about to play out.

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“I think…this is a trap. Let’s head out while we—” Lunde says, only to suddenly stop when he sees a bright-red fiery ball flying straight towards them.

As the fireball hits the ground and catches everyone by surprise, the group is pushed into the clearing by the explosion it generates. Everyone is launched feet away due to fiery force. Some soldiers sustain damage, but are mostly fine. Lunde and Doctor Kuran quickly move into a defense position and hide behind some rocks big enough to serve as battlefield cover.

Against the full moon, a mysterious figure draped in tattered black robes appears and flaps their black feathery wings above them. They slowly descend.

“THIS IS WHERE YOU DIE, AURUM DOGS!” the figure yells. Their booming voice resounding throughout the night. “YOU WERE LED OUT FROM YOUR SANCTUARY JUST AS PLANNED. TONIGHT, WE WILL SLAUGHTER YOU LIKE PIGS!”

As if following a script, other figures crawl out of the bushes and shrubs, encircling the scouting party of Lunde and Kuran.

The ones on the ground reveal their faces from behind their hoods: they are of various races with black veins protruding from their necks all the way to their temples and some of them even have monstrous spikes and body parts growing out from various parts of their body. They appear to be Corrupted in an advanced stage as analyzed by the doctor. Although the enemy in the sky does not reveal his face, Kuran also assumes it is the group’s leader.

“Corrupted…could they be from Longinus?” Lunde thinks to himself, readying an Emotio Art at the same time.

“I’ve heard reports that the Corrupted they use in their service also wear their uniforms. I don’t know where these bastards are from, but they sure are organized as hell.” replies Kuran.

Everyone in this forest theatre already knows the role they play, and they shall play it to the very end. A battle ensues and the forces from the encampment, having no other choice, charge at the Corrupted with all their valor and might. The soldiers on Lunde and Kuran’s team raise their swords and shields while the Corrupted let their extended monster appendages, all with pointy and razor-sharp claws, protrude out from their body. Slashing, piercing, crushing and Emotio Art magic sounds reverberate throughout the clearing as they fight.

“Protect these men, Misera Art: Shoulder Angel!” shouts Kuran as beams of light appear on most of their allies’ shoulder where a wine bottle-sized humanoid spirit appears. It is faceless, has feathery wings, and its body is made up of pure golden light. As Corrupted strike at those who have these spirits by their side, their attacks repeatedly bounce off, giving the soldiers a chance to get a few hits in.

Lunde stays far at the back, helping incapacitated fighters. “Misera Art: Mend Wound!” he yells as he uses Emotio alongside some items from the healer’s kit to stitch together wounds on one of the soldier’s chest.

“I-I’m not going to make it am I?” laments the wounded soldier, shivering and groaning. “I’m gonna…turn into one of those monsters, aren’t I?”

These words terrify Lunde and scrape his ears, and eventually his mind, with such hopelessness that he loses focus. He knows that the wounds that were sustained by the soldier will most likely lead to Emotio corruption somewhere along the line and although they could delay it for some time, the cure is non-existent. His thoughts fly back to Ember again, and his fear and anxiety get the best of him.

“Boy, look alive!” Kuran shouts at him, trying to get him to snap back to reality.

The flying foe dashes across the sky while blasting fiery shots of magic, especially at the allied fighters with bows, to stop them from targeting him. Eventually, it spots the vulnerable Lunde with his back turned, and takes the chance to dive down towards him to rip him apart with their large eagle-like talons where its hands are supposed to be.

Lunde shakes off his daze and comes back to his senses, but he feels multiple sharp and excruciating pulses from his back as if he was stabbed by multiple daggers.

At that moment, Kuran turns around to check on Lunde and is horrified to see the flying Corrupted’s large talons buried deep in his back.