I let Alan through the leaves that hid our small shelter. I let him borrow my night vision and enhanced senses perks and ordered him to patrol around the tree for a bit. After a few flaps of his wings, the small raven broke through the canopy and stabilized his flight. Through our bond, I saw the vast jungle around us through his eyes. It was a different perspective, one I hadn't yet experienced.
I let the hours fly by. Alan didn't tire and he seemed to enjoy spreading his wings.
Nothing of note happened, the jungle was quiet and peaceful at night.
Once my shift was over, I gently shook Vel awake. She opened her eyes and stared at Alan who was perched at the entrance of our hidey-hole. I had recalled him to my side since I didn't know how the skill would work while I was asleep.
"What is …" Vel trailed off.
"He's Alan," I said with a smirk, "my shadow familiar."
Alan is a great familiar, he chimed in my head.
You are, I sent as I scratched his head.
"You got the skill while I was sleeping?" I nodded. "Does it have to look like that?" She asked. "It's a bit … creepy. It looks like an upright shadow."
"It's a shadow familiar," I shrugged, "made with shadow magic."
"Does he stay while you sleep?"
"That's what I want to find out."
"I'll keep an eye on him then," Vel gave me a kiss.
Keep an eye on Vel as well, I sent to the small raven.
Alan will watch over the Great Mistress' mate, he replied.
I swapped places with her and curled up at the back on the small bed made of moss. I found sleep quickly enough.
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When morning came, I found Vel playing with Alan. He was perched on her arm and her hand was gently running through his feathers. She plucked a small berry from a branch on the wall and gave it to the raven who gobbled it up greedily.
"I see you made friends," I smiled.
Alan watched over Mistress Vel!
Oh, she is Mistress Vel now?
"He was very happy to help me practice my new skills," she said.
Mistress Vel had many berries for Alan.
You little glutton, I chuckled.
"You unlocked the fruit skills?"
"Yes but it's only small berries for now."
"Some variety in diet is always welcome and Alan seems to approve of them," I snuggled against her, "I'm sure you'll be making us head sized melons in no time."
"You two can communicate?"
"Yes, there's a mental link between us. You've been granted the title of Mistress Vel by the way."
"Oh, and what's yours?"
"I'm the Great Mistress."
"That's a name I can get behind," Vel grinned and kissed me.
Vel grew us berries for breakfast. It was interesting to see the small fruits grow at an accelerated rate from a small branch inside of our shelter. There were a few different varieties, red berries that tasted like cherries but without the pit inside, orange berries that had a sugary acidic taste, pale yellow ones with a sweeter edge to them and small seeds like a strawberry.
"Delicious," I said as I kissed her. "You're the best."
After a few more handfuls, we were off towards Nis.
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After more than half a day of travel, we reached the vicinity of Nis. Alan was flying high up and spotted the village first, it didn't look good. I saw crumbled and burned buildings through his eyes, the mana lamps in the streets were all working which gave the village an eerie feeling without a single soul visible in the streets.
I directed Alan as he flew over the village. The small raven was nearly invisible in the air, his dark form fading against the dark cavern ceiling. I had shared my perception sphere with him to make the search faster. Even with a radius of only ten meters it made sweeping through the village much easier.
The layout of the village was familiar. Nis and Niu were twin villages, built around twin mother trees. Thanks to that, I had little trouble spotting the important buildings. The scout aviary had been toppled. The tall tower had crashed down on the headquarters and left half the building in ruins.
The school had suffered damage as well though it was less severe. All the doors had been kicked off their hinges and the way to the underground shelter looked to have seen fighting.
Everywhere I looked, not a single survivor. There were a few bodies buried under rubble but that was all. Nis was a ghost town.
Vel and I had stopped at the edge of the outer barrier. Or where the barrier should have been.
I couldn't see or feel it.
When I found one of the anchors, it was dormant as well. I could see the enchantments but they were inactive. I wasn't an expert in barrier design, in fact I knew next to nothing about it, but I had a feeling the keystone had fallen.
We moved along the outer wall of the village towards the main entrance. When we reached it, we found the gates destroyed. The inner barrier could not be felt either, it too had fallen. Out of an abundance of caution, I sent Alan to patrol overhead.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Alan will watch over the village. Nothing will get past his watchful gaze!
"Nobody here," I said as I grabbed Vel's hand.
She squeezed it gently and we stepped forward. Even without having ever been here, I could picture the villagers milling about. Small children playing with each other. Apprentices running about to help their teachers.
It felt eerie, to walk in this place so devoid of life. It almost felt like the village was mourning the loss of its population. Here too, it looked like there had been a fierce battle. Some buildings were missing walls or their roof. A multi-story house had crumbled on the street.
"Let's split up and see what we can find," I said, "we need to prepare. Niu will probably send scouts our way if they managed to repel the invasion but if they haven't …"
"Yeah …" Vel trailed off. "It feels a bit weird to do this. Like we're … disturbing a grave?"
"I think they would understand," I said with a sad smile.
"I guess you're right. Better us than some random adventurer stumbling here."
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There were mostly the same artisans as in Niu, tailor, blacksmith, leatherworker, and a communal kitchen. The healer building was a lot smaller and less organized, not every village had a Breknir and his legendary skills. With the place mostly intact, I managed to find several jars of preserved ingredients and enough equipment to make a portable alchemy laboratory. I stored everything into a few boxes and vanished them inside my necklace.
Attached to the healer building was a small workshop. The roof had partially fallen to block one of the entrances and a pile of debris has blocked the other making the room completely inaccessible. I had no trouble seeing inside with my sphere and found out that it was the rune master's workshop. Probably Breknir's friend he mentioned in his letter.
With some climbing, I managed to squeeze through one of the open windows.
The rune workshop was clean and well organized. The work table had an array of writing and engraving tools as well as a small grinding wheel to polish stones. A half-finished dagger lying on the bench, the runes on the handle partially engraved.
One bookshelf had several books on runes and enchanting, design documents for the barrier anchors of the village, schematics for various enchanted objects. The master was likely responsible for the barrier over both this village and Niu. I piled the books on the bench and found a case for the tools.
I hoped the master would be fine with me studying his craft.
What I found next was stunning. Inside a small box on a shelf, there were several objects that shone to my magic perception like tiny little stars.
I picked up one. An amulet made out of dark reflective metal with a silver design. It had a braided cord made out of dark silk with small knots woven in at regular intervals. I could feel the dense enchantments on it as I ran my fingers on the intricate pattern.
> [Amulet of Inazesa (Storage, Stasis, Durability, Bound; 0/250)]
My heart stopped for a few moments.
How the hell did I keep finding all of those powerful items? I quickly glanced at the sky as if I'd be able to spot Gaia snickering at my confusion.
I looked sideways at the other items in the box.
> [Root of Yggdrasill (Magic Focus, Durability, Bound; Nature)]
>
> [Gift of Gaia (Magic Enhancement, Durability, Bound; Nature)]
Both were bracelets made of wood. The first was made out of a rich dark brown wood with lighter veins. The entire outer surface was engraved with motifs of branches and leaves. A small green gem was set within a knot in the wood. The second was a lighter wood that made me think of willow. The engraved design was more varied and depicted several animals. A similar green gem was set in the same way.
"Vel will love those two I think," I smiled as I carefully moved them to a pouch.
I put the storage amulet around my neck next to the other ones, my neck was starting to get crowded. The system chimed up as I pushed my mana into the item.
> Bound Item [Amulet of Inazesa] for 500 MP
I felt a big chunk of mana disappear and I brought up my status screen.
Name
Liscura Van-Niu
Ancestry
Dark Elf
Status
Level 82 (Rank 4) | 377 Essence
Health: 900/900 (+120%/h)
Stamina: 985/985 (+134%/h)
Mana: 2560/3060 (+243%/h)
Focus: 105/164
Bound Items
Ravri Ritual Gauntlet (30 FP; 0/5 spells, 0/1000 MP)
Ravri Ritual Bracer (20 FP)
Amulet of Inazesa (25 FP; 0/250)
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On the way to find Vel, I figured out how to transfer items between two storage enchantments. Each operation cost a small amount of mana but with my increased regeneration, it was only a drop in the bucket.
I shuffled everything to my bound storage amulet.
Vel waved at me as I approached.
"Found something interesting?"
"I did," I said with a grin, "there were preserved ingredients and enough tools to build us a small alchemy setup."
"Good," she nodded, "at least we won't run out of potions."
"I also found the rune master's workshop. I picked up all the books and the plans for the village barriers, wouldn't want anyone getting their hands on that, and tools as well."
"You want to learn enchanting?"
"It seems to be pretty useful," I remarked.
Vel rolled her eyes.
"I also found something else," I discreetly pulled the small bracelets from my belt and presented them to her with a flourish.
"What are those …" her eyes widened, "I can't even identify them!"
"The dark one is a nature magic focus and the light one enhances it."
"I … why? You found them, you should have them!"
She pushed them back towards me,
"I can't hoard all the good items," I said, "I found a big storage amulet for myself."
Vel hesitated for a while before taking the offered bracelets. She reverently slipped them on and I knew the moment the system prompted her.
"One thousand mana," she winced, "thank Gaia Breknir commissioned those items."