“Sweet!” Stella blurted out excitedly, interrupting my inner musings about our latest spell. “Since we have the full description of Vivisection now, I have access to a bit more information. I was worried, but it says the loud cacophony debuff will only be heard by those directly under the spell's effects. To us and anyone else, we’ll hear nothing more than a muted roar. I’m thrilled this won’t need to be something we’ll have to worry about.”
“Good catch! Thanks for double-checking that, Stell,” I replied enthusiastically before taking another moment to reread the spell’s details. “The System’s previous message certainly wasn’t wrong. The damage this spell doles out is incredible, though I am a little disappointed there’s a five-second cooldown. Still, as long as I remember to weave the spell every five seconds when we’re fighting longer groups, it’s not too much of a downside. Oh, while I think of it, can you see if the actual odds the spell has making a monster flee?”
While the System didn’t usually give the actual percentage of these secondary effects with spells, like with my Fireball spell and the ‘moderate’ chance of it setting things on fire, I was hopeful this time. Vivisection had the same ‘moderate’ adjective in the description, after all. We had grown greatly, as did Stella’s access within her Accelerator interface. If we could see the actual percentage, we would have a better understanding of the spell and I’d feel more confident when using it in battle.
After a moment, Stella answered grimly. Perhaps she had been hoping the same as I. “Sadly, no. The exact percentage is tucked away, too deep within the Metadata, for me to locate, at least for now.” She let out a frustrated sigh before continuing, “I am hopeful that will change when you hit your next Hunter, but, for now, the best I can manage is a tidbit suggesting it's somewhere between twenty and, at most, thirty percent with each tick of damage.”
Stella leaned forward, determined to glean more information for her Accelerator screen. A moment later, she gasped abruptly, catching me off guard.
“What is it?” I probed optimistically.
“Persistence conquers all things,” Stella replied cryptically. “I thought there might be more than I initially suspected.” Turning to face me, Stella’s eye had a bright twinkle as she smiled devilishly. “There was no indication anywhere in the description, but the spell is a little better than we initially thought. This fear effect, which caused them to run to a friend, has a much more significant change immediately after the spell hits them.”
Stella returned to her invisible screen and looked like a hunter eyeing unwary prey. “As soon as Vivisection lands, there is around a seventy-five percent chance the mob will sprint towards another enemy.”
“Nice!” I exclaimed with a fierce fist-pump. My abrupt motion nearly unseated Stella, and soon, both she and Dutch looked back at me with exasperated expressions. “Sorry,” I chuckled in slight embarrassment. “I’m just excited to see what this spell can do.”
Stella snickered, “I can tell.”
Returning to her unseen screens, she looked to be puzzling something out or was perhaps doing some mental math. After a few moments, she continued, “Alright, after the initial spike of damage, and over the course of the roughly two-and-a-half minute duration… we’ll see a mob flee towards, on average, five to eight times. Right now, at level one, the spell can trigger a maximum of five more copies of the spell onto hostile enemies. I’m a little disappointed myself, because by the time this thing is max level, the number of extra triggers skyrockets up to sixteen foes. The System isn’t saying if the odds of fear effect increasing as the spell levels, but I really hope it does.”
I contemplated her words before asking, “So, you’re saying we will get to a point where the spell could transfer to many more enemies, but with the relatively low chance of the first mob actually fleeing, it won’t matter?”
“Yeah,” Stella exhaled, her small face discouraged, given what we learned. “Only time will tell, I suppose, but hopefully, the System modifies this percentage as well. If I notice any difference as the spell grows in power, I’ll be sure to let you know. Still, I am pleased with how this spell turned out.”
“Me too,” I replied in a far more dejected tone than when I first read the spell’s description. While the spell's damage would certainly increase with each level, we would apparently reach a point where the spell would only leap to a new monster around eight times. The fear effect simply wouldn’t trigger enough for the contagious effect to reach its full potential. With my seat in my saddle far more subdued, Dutch returned his attention to following Stedious and his mount. My jet-black horse shook his head back and forth as if clearing away any lingering displeasure from my earlier outburst.
With nothing else to look over from our gains in battle with the marauding spiders, I sat back in my saddle. A silence settled over our small entourage as we pressed on into the night. An hour later, around midnight, we discovered a small glade bereft of the gigantic redwood trees, though some standing only ten feet away were beginning to call the clearing home. The space was perhaps a quarter the size of a football field and ringed tightly essentially blocking ways in beside where we had come from and another in line with our southern path. The area had a look to it, suggesting this was a common place the wardens used as a safe harbor of sorts.
Stedious called for a halt near the midway point, confirming with my suspicion we would be taking our first breather to let our horses recover some stamina. Our guides appeared well-versed in securing the campsite, each moving about in a well-choreographed dance of untacking our horses and setting up a small campfire. Mulviel and Shawin handed their horses off to Stedious and Kalie before darting off together in the night toward the southern exit formed naturally in the five-foot-wide pass between two massive redwood specimens. They were no doubt scouting all around to ensure we were alone.
Meanwhile, Kali, Chanee, and Stedious, along with Tallos and my help, corralled the horses together. Bridles were removed and replaced with rope halters so the horses could eat without bits in their mouths. Not long after all the saddles were removed and stacked a little ways away, our two scouts returned, reporting nothing of note was nearby. The pair separated, each covering one of the two entrances into the glade. Everyone else brushed our seven horses, ensuring any dirt, dust, or debris they picked up during the ride was dislodged. With that taken care of, each pony was let loose to roam around where they happily munched on the wide-bladed grass covering the forest floor around the glade.
I pulled a hay bale from storage, holding the heavy block of dried grass by the twine and wrapping the flakes together. Setting down the bale and pulling a dagger to cut the twine, Stedious noticed what I was doing and called out with an upraised hand, bidding me hold.
“That’s not needed, Xaz. Keep your personal stock of hay until we’ve seen you clear of the High Thicket’s borders,” Stedious interjected with an appreciative smile on his clean-shaven face. He shook his head before elaborating that the horses, to my knowledge, needed hay whenever we rested. Sure, there was enough grass to go around, so I didn’t understand the tall elf at first. “While we guide your party, we’ll use our own stores. That way, you have as much hay as possible when you’re on your own.”
Stedious motioned to a small pouch affixed to his waist while he spoke. It looked much like an everyday coin purse, and I was confused about why he would point it out. “Every dispatched warden receives one of these. It may look inconsequential, but I assure you it does not contain a single piece of silver. These pouches have instead been enchanted to store several hay bales. Between the wardens, we have more than enough to see us to the forest’s edge.”
The lead warden moved his hands close to his waist pouch, and, as if it had always been there, a tight bale of hay materialized out of thin air. Holding the colored twine, Stedious placed the bale on the ground before using a sheathed knife to cut at the bindings. Kali came over and the two passed out the smaller flake sections where our equine friends were merrily munching away. The added hay was immediately set upon by most of them, with a pair of the warden’s horses disregarding the snack in favor of the bladed grass.
“Here,” Stedious grinned at Tallos standing beside me. Reaching for the opposite side of his belt, the warden untied a similar-looking sack before tossing it through the air at the ranger. “I did say every warden receives one when dispatched. So, it means you, too, brother.
Stedious motioned to the nondescript pouch. “You can store up to four bales in it. I believe you understand how these unusual bags work. You need only simply will a bale to appear in your hands, and it will appear in hand. That one is already bursting, so it should complement your horse’s needs on the rest of your journey outside the forest.”
Tallos thanked the elf profusely, quite appreciate of the token. The small bags were undoubtedly valuable, yet like any Warden from Quarris, they were ensured to be well-equipped for their duties. Since both Tallos and I were strengthening our bond with Dutch and Jax, this addition ensured both were well cared for. For all we knew, when we got to Cicero’s tower, we might find the bastard and his minions have destroyed any nearby grass. Unless our quest took significantly longer than a week, we were well supplied.
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Finally settled down on a log surrounding the unlit fire pit, the sound of the forest truly dawned on me. The chittering of an untold number of small animals and the chirping song of thousands of crickets blended together into a disarming chorus, swiftly washing a renewed sense of safety and relaxation. Taking a deep breath, I allowed any lingering tension to wash away from my body. Opening my eyes, Tallos had a knowing smile upon his chiseled features.
“I think you now truly appreciate my desire to make this,” my friend commented as he sat beside me, motioning to everything around us. “…my home. There’s nothing quite like it. Being a part of the living-forest, so teeming with life and potential, it’s a grandeur I have not felt since my childhood. At such a young age, I couldn’t fully appreciate what it is to be blessed with such a life in this noble place.”
“You will certainly have a wonderful life when you settle down,” I said before shooting my friend a cheeky wink. “Especially so blessed with your lovely lady friend beside you, no doubt.”
Tallos’ only reply was a bright smile and a knowing tilt of his head, fully confirming the truth of my statement. He indeed looked forward to the day, but it was not this day. He said he would follow us until we completed our work, even though I would never hold a grudge if he decided to stay in the forest. Clapping a hand across his shoulder, a soft murmur followed by the glimpse of a soft green light in the corner of my eye caught my attention. Turning to the source of the glow, Chanee was kneeling next to one of the grazing horses.
It was clear Chanee had cast a spell and, by the look of it, was casting another. The same jade glimmer darted away from her fingertips before spreading across Dutch’s black coat. In less than a second, the glow receded, replaced by the darkness of night. Moving onto the next horse, Jax soon glowed green as well, and the young elf moved from one to another, appearing to cast the same spell multiple times in rapid succession. I was about to pose a question when Stedious noticed my questioning gaze.
“It’s a helpful spell that revitalizes an animal’s stamina,” he explained with a flick of the hand toward the female warden. “I see in your eyes you understand the benefit such a spell can bring during lengthy expeditions. Sadly, it doesn’t work on elves or men, only our animal friends. With that spell of hers, our equine brethren need only a short hour's rest before able to continue.”
It was a potent spell, as I could see the need to rest for hours when moving cross country. I nodded appreciatively back at Stedious, acknowledging the helpful information. The next hour passed quickly and uneventfully, to no one’s surprise. The tightly packed trees shielded us from prying eyes, with only two avenues of approach. I pondered how many of these waypoints were marked by our guides and hoped we would find more as we prepared to move on.
With a soft whistle, Stedious grabbed our attention. Looking his way, the elf pointed towards our horses and the saddles stacked nearby. The message was clear. We were saddling up and would move to silence from here on out. At least until daylight dawned upon the forest, I suspected.
Still able to see perfectly in the dead of night, we swiftly saddled our team of horses and quietly continued our lengthy trek through the High Thicket. I estimated we were roughly a quarter of the way there. The next several hours passed without incident, with our party stopping an hour before sunrise. After caring for our horses, Stedious approached me and Tallos, bearing several hockey puck-sized biscuits in his hand. Tallos rubbed his hands together eagerly, but not knowing what they were, I graciously took one for myself.
Before biting into the unusually dense piece of bread, the first thought that popped into my mind was that it could perhaps be something akin to Lembas bread. Of course, I had never tasted elven Lembas bread, considering its origin hailed from a popular book of fiction from Earth. Still, I was eagerly looking forward to tasting it nonetheless.
I was not disappointed. While the biscuit's outer shell was tough and threatened to crumble, the inside was quite the opposite and a wonderfully sweet taste filled my mouth. Mixed in with the breading were small morsels of a trail mix of different nuts, and dried fruit. It was utterly satisfying, with a single biscuit filling me up as if I had just polished off a complete breakfast. Ensuring I devoured every bit of the delicious biscuit, I was determined to ask Stedious if we could walk away with more of the wonder bread before we parted ways with our elven guides. For now, I held my tongue due to the present need for silence. Under the dense canopy over our heads and the soft rustle of leaves gently swaying from a breeze blowing between the magnificent redwood trees, I felt utterly satisfied.
Less than an hour after mounting up, the early morning light began prodding the forest awake. The sound of dozens, if not hundreds, of forest-dwelling animals rising with the new day caused the forest to feel more alive than ever. Seeing my grin, Stedious clapped me on the back as I rode beside him.
“It is magnificent to see a new dawn,” he commented with an admiring glance at the forest around us. “With the daylight, we no longer need to pass quietly, so feel free to chat once more. We will be picking up the pace and I expect to reach the edge of the High Thicket around nightfall. I will be moving to a lead position, so you and Tallos should follow behind in a single file. Any questions before we spur our friends to hasten their pace?”
Shaking my head, Stedious nodded in acknowledgment before kicking his horse forward. Tallos motioned me to follow next before falling in line behind me. We kicked our rhythm into a light gallop, our horse's enhanced shoes causing every step to travel farther and causing the closest trees to blur as we passed by. Dutch and Jax were delighted to open up, both eager for a spirited ride. The enchantment wouldn’t fade for another day and a half, and I suspected we would need every minute of it.
As before, nothing remarkable stood in our path before the party paused to rest four hours later. Though we only saw hints of it, the Sun was likely near its zenith. Everyone dismounted before going through the motions of unsaddling and caring for our horses. Unlike previous stops however, Stedious and Kali appeared to be more carefully scrutinizing our friends as if warry for signs of injury. Walking closer, Kali shared how they made far more thorough inspections periodically during strenuous rides ensuring none of the horses had any signs of discomfort. Unfortunately, the experienced pair swiftly discovered Mulviel’s horse, Rhett, had the initial signs of lameness.
The proud animal appeared stiff even to my untrained eyes, showing a reluctance to raise one of his back hoofs for inspection. “He’s shifting his body to avoid putting extra weight on the leg. Sadly, we’ll need to rest longer than I had hoped to allow Rhett more time to recover,” Stedious divulged when he noticed me watching them work. “Even after pausing, we’ll also need to slow our pace to a walk at most, at least until we stop for rest once more. Depending on how Rhett’s doing, we might be able to increase our pace to a trot after that, but I wouldn’t plan on it.”
I could see the disappointment hinting in Stedious’s eyes, but it vanished quickly and was replaced with a calm acceptance. We all knew the importance of reaching the border of the High Thicket, yet none of us wanted to risk the health of our friends to do it. The thought of continuing without Mulviel and his horse didn’t cross our minds. Traversing over long distances had its risks and setbacks. This was one of them. We would need to revise our rushed approach.
Yet, did we have no other option? I asked myself.
Bird calls and the sound of small animals foraging through the underbrush continued, unmoved at the disheartening news. Still, I couldn’t believe there was nothing more I could offer in this situation. Running through my spells, I spoke up and provided an alternative, “Would my lesser regeneration spell help Rhett? I would be happy to cast it on him and, for good measure, all of our horses if it will help ease the burden from such a prolonged ride.”
Stedious looked to Kali, who nodded silently back at him. It could work. It was magic, after all. “We have no healing magic among us, as it is a rare gift. You are welcome to attempt it, though. It could very well help relieve the pain he feels,” Stedious affirmed with a gesture toward the noble horse. It was clear Rhett wanted to be able to give more in this endeavor yet was unable to hide his growing weariness any longer.
Padding over to the unhappy horse, I placed a comforting hand on his neck. Remembering Stella’s constant reminder not to pat, I stroked his fine coat of hair while speaking calm and reassuring words to him. While Rhett couldn’t understand the words, he could hear the meaning in my voice. Moving to his hind end, I purposefully kept contact with my hand. This allowed Rhett to know my position at all times as I moved around him. This was a habit instilled into me from my former life as it helped you avoid accidentally spoking the horse, which, if it happened, could him kicking out defensively. No one wanted that.
Kneeling, I focused on Rhett’s injured leg and whispered the words to my lesser regen. With its recent upgrade via one of the upgrade orbs we obtained in Quarris, I was hopeful it would repair whatever micro-tears or concern had formed within his powerful back leg. A vivid glow transferred from my hands into the muscular limb. Instantly, the change in Rhett’s stance became apparent as the restorative spell went to work, repairing any unseen damage to his muscles, tendons, or ligaments. Swiftly, the glow spread outward to encompass the horse's entire body before fading from sight. Restorative magic still coursed through his veins, but any outward sign of the spell disappeared.
Stedious and Kali moved back to inspect Rhett’s legs, pleased smiles quickly appearing on both faces. “It worked,” Kali beamed gratefully. “To be safe, would you be willing to also cast the spell and everyone else? Though none other are showing signs of being lame, the spell could prevent it ever getting to that stage.”
Even before she started speaking, I was already moving to the next nearest horse, intent on doing the same to all the others the moment it was clear the spell made a difference. “I’d be happy to,” I replied optimistically before making a complete circuit around our small camp. My mana dropped slightly but would replenish itself in no time. It was the least I could do. Not only would it safeguard our horse's wellbeing, but it would also allow us to continue towards our destination at a rapid pace.
Confirming a question from Stedious, we planned on me casting my spell every time we paused to rest and recover our stamina. An hour later, we were soon back on the trail heading south. We ate lunch on the ride, more of the delicious elven biscuit. I wasn’t about to complain. I was looking forward to more of the delectably nutty bread. At Stella’s insistence though, we pulled out several strips of barbequed jerky to add a small variety to the meal. Besides Tallos, our elven friends passed on the offer to the delicious jerky, preferring the not-Lembas bread over everything else. Stella’s grin widened at the news. It meant there was even more of the delectably flavored jerky for herself.