ORGANIZING

For some reason, Chu appreciated this convoy. The scouts seemed one with the forest, reporting dangers to the escorting fighters, chose accessible routes for the sleds and located well-secured caves or hollows for camping at night.

The strange convoy made their way unimpeded across the winter forest.

The first night, Chu and his party participated in thwarting an ambush by a band of wildcats. The battle served to hone their skills under the trees. Miki and Lucy also demonstrated their crossbow skills by crippling two of the beast with critical shots.

"Miki, that one is alive, hurry and kill it."

"Good shot Lucy, a little later and those goblin archers would have been toast!"

Like a pair of grim reapers, they hovered around the battlefield, with the contrasting heads of black and blond hair fluttering in the slight wind.

Ming, and Rose engaged in close combat with the cats, while floundered in the deep snow. The tall black-haired teen used his sword skills to parry the attacks, as the girl circled and stabbed when given the opportunity. Unlike the other girls, Rose kept her long blond hair in a ponytail so as to avoid blocking her vision.

Ultimately they achieved success, besting the beasts with their bloodied swords. The goblin archers remained safely behind the fighters, thwarting their foes with arrows. Seven wildcats fell that night, without a single goblin casualty.

The goblin Elder thanked them profusely, and for handing over the spoils of war.

"No need for us to fight the goblins for furs and meat. They need it more than us."

Chu said while passing a hand through his jet black hair. One of the cats had managed to claw him on the leg during the scuffle. He had retreated but received a scrape for his troubles. Luckily his leather greaves bore the majority of the damage.

Like a true adventurer, he cleaned and bandaged the wound. Never would he believe that this wiry frame could inflict damage to a beast twice as large as himself. The result of training and hard work bore this fruit.

He nodded to his deceased adversary in respect, as a few goblins then hauled it away. Chu had found out that the goblins detoxified the inedible meat before cooking.

"Maybe that's why they look green?"

Ming suspected, scratching his stubble beard in thought.

The next day they killed a wild boar as it plowed the snow while searching for food. Miki floored it with a bolt that pierced it from behind the front shoulders. The Asian looking girl possessed marksmanship which rivaled the best adventurers.

Her knife skills were also second to none as she deftly butchered the carcass. Between the industrious children, slabs of meat soon found their way to Mr. Pick who tended the fire. Soon the savory smell of lightly seasoned roast permeated the air, as drops of fat sizzled on the spit.

That night they enjoyed the roast with their traveling companions, huddled around a blazing fire, set before a shallow cave.

For half the night the entire party chattered and made use of little Rang, until Lucy sobered them up by killing a stalking Jaga. The Great Western Forest proved once again that it lived up to its dangerous reputation.

"I thought the goblins didn't have a full load of iron. How come they have so many sleds?"

"Did you think I forwarded the exchange for grains, only because I wanted a free escort across the forest?"

Chu replied with a question, as they slogged through the trees.

"Yea, that's what I thought you did."

"Half of those sleds contain the books from the tower. With the adventurers probably grounded or patrolling the grasslands, we have no reason not to take advantage. I had the goblins transport every book and scroll they found. Win-win Lucy. Win-win."

Chu said to the girl.

A snowstorm caught them midway, but the goblins stomped the snow and created little circular trenches inside the high snow. Within these trenches away from the whipping wind, small fires warded off the cold. Chu glanced through the narrow tunnels that connected the travelers. Admittedly, he learned a lot these few days.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"Nothing less from these little woodsmen."

They made the final leg of the journey at night, soon entering a man-made clearing. The moon gazed down, hanging high over the naked branches. Chu recommended this trip at night to avoid meeting unwanted hunters. Only Chu and his companions carried torches to light the way, as the goblins relied on their superior night vision.

The goblin scouts who normally prowled the forest far from the main party hovered closely around the convoy. Chu soon found himself slogging at the front with a scout nervously guiding them a few paces ahead.

When he stepped into the clearing, he understood the reason behind their cautious behavior. A fairy-like voice, foreign and yet very natural to the forest entered his cold ears. Chu recognized this entity which created fear, in both goblins and native beasts alike.

"Elder has been pacing by the western gate for days. A little longer and he would probably walk a trench. I have been entering and waiting in the forest for a few nights."

His eyes fell on the green-eyed girl, sitting on a high tree stump in the middle of the snow-covered clearing. She dangled her legs while chewing on a thin strip of jerky. The hood of her cloak had been thrown back, exposing the shoulder-length, untamed red hair.

The goblins, however, turned wary at the two massive wolves, sitting casually at her feet. Two pairs of yellow eyes scanned and then relegated them to the status of insects.

'This place truly breeds devils.'

The Elder goblin accompanying the convoy shuddered while glancing between the little girl and the legend.

'This girl is becoming even more wayward.'

Chu muttered in his mind.

"Alert the farm, we need some wagons."

Chu said while walking over and dusting the snow from the rough table.

"Already done. Sakura said since you took so long, you will definitely return with your hands full. I sent Fenrir with a message to the farm, as soon as they smelled you coming."

Chu nodded in satisfaction at her initiative. He did not waste a few years in vain. Sakura might not roam around adventuring like the rest, but the little brunette possessed excellent management skills.

Not bad, not bad at all.

***

"The situation has changed. Not only did we secure a source of black opal but we made an earth-shattering discovery."

"Do you really think it's possible?"

Mr. Thomas inquired with a voice breaking from excitement.

Chu glanced at the man who grasped the edge of the table with his lone hand. For a man who lost his Sersen ability, this announcement dropped like a meteor from the heavens. The boy knew very well the hope he offered the ex-Military man.

And this only concerned his family. If successful this could change the fate of the Empire.

It could also grant him a torturous death, if, revealed to the wrong individuals. To a budding civilization, it could affect the balance of power. Chu looked at the anticipation in the eyes of the man.

"It might if we can test it in practice."

"I am afraid to believe it, though it comes from you. The Mage Tower should have known about this already, why hasn't it been done? Maybe you probably made a mistake in reading?"

Chu shook his head. The discovery raised an important issue, one which the words of Scholar Rang and the adventurers supported.

"I have a theory that the Tower Mages acquired their knowledge from an earlier civilization."

"Impossible!"

"No way. The Tower Mages have existed even before the late Emperor created this northern nation by bringing the tribes together. Even the old desert kingdom in the south has them as a foundation."

Chu waved his hands to calm the expected outburst. He expected as much from this gathering. To everyone present, the Tower Mages held a special place of mysterious power.

Only him, who lived the life of a modern man on earth could suggest such a theory. Ever since he learned that the Tower paid coins for items from ruins, he harbored doubts. The late Scholar had even tried to stuff the scrolls and books from the ancient library.

Presently Chu sat behind his desk in the barn. The ones around him consisted of his core members only. He would never dare to utter such a statement in public or in a crowd. Such slanderous words could earn him a whipping.

"Forget it then, consider it a slip of the tongue. To prove this discovery, we need to journey to Limerock. A host of answers lies in the Mage Tower, most likely in their library."

"What about the farm. Don't forget we also have Doug heading out in spring?"

Clod asked. The muscular yellow-haired teen twisted his face in worry. Even with his limp, Clod handled the farming aspect of their farm in an efficient manner. The burly teen already drafted plans for use of the new ploughs.

"We shall continue our work since this is our base after all. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas will accompany me to Limerock. I expect this search might take us over a year to accomplish because I want to learn about the basis of magic. I'll select a suitable party."

Chu had spent over two years building his body, mind, and knowledge. The ruins in the forest woke the thirst for adventure, as well as opened his mind to his current lack of understanding. It was high time he interacted with the educated ones of the world.

The Mage Tower served as the department store or Amazon of this world. He needed historical information, magical training, talisman instructions, and arcane knowledge. What better place to go, than directly to the source.

"All well and good but how are you going to access the archives? Not everyone can waltz into the training grounds of the Tower Mages, seeking protected knowledge."

Chu twisted his face in a smile.

"Have you forgotten Apprentice Tye?"