So, this is the forest I always hear about?
My name is Anthony and currently I'm sitting on a cliff that overlooks my new task. It's, for lack of a better word, strange. There seems to be trees from many different kinds of forest: from evergreens, to oak to trees I think are from rain forests. It's almost like someone took parts of forest from all over the world and planted them here. Not only that: there also seems to a thick fog over the tops of the trees so it's hard to see any villages from where I am. And, to top it off: it's massive. I can barely make out the northern, eastern, and western edges of it. It's the maximum size for one Guardian. Any bigger and they would have had to send more than one here.
Well, I've been sitting here to two hours and still can't get a handle on this place. Might as well look for that circle tha Elders told me to look for. They wouldn't tell me what it's for or what happened to Illiya but I can probably guess what happened to her.
After standing up and stretching my wings, I hop off the side of the cliff and glide down to where the edge of the forest is. I start looking for the magic circle that's supposed to be here. According to the records of this place, the magic circle was drawn here by the first Guardian to come here. Apparently, it's needed for every Guardian to activate it before they enter. Something about our bodies not being able to withstand the magic that's here or something. I can't really say and I don't know if I believe it. But, you know what they say: better safe than sorry.
I look around for a few minutes before I found it: a weathered magic circle carved into the ground. It was drawn half inside and half outside the forest. It had draconic runes carved into it that I've never seen before.
Looks ancient. Just how long has this place been under Guardians' protection!?
I look at the forest's entrance and then back to the circle. My instincts were telling me that this was going to hurt. Ancient magic like this circle always hurts...especially when it's used on you. Shivering at some of the memories, I quickly tranform into anthropomorphic version of my fire dragon form.
Very useful curse...well, as far as curses go! It could have been a pain. Well, it is a pain but only if I get another dragon form which isn't something I plan on doing any time soon.
The curse? Well, at the base of my tail on the underside of it, there is a blue mark of what looks like a dragon eating a cresent moon. Thanks to that mark, I'm forced to have anthropomorphic versions of all my dragon forms. Inconvienient, sure. No one likes having forms thrust onto them all of a sudden...especially if they are injured. I'm not going into details about that.
Well, let's get this over with. I can't stay here for too long.
As I step closer to the forest and the circle, my instincts kept telling me to run away. It was like I was being stared down by a predator despite being one myself. It was starting to make me angry...which is easy to do in my fire dragon forms: easily angered and slow to calm down. Thankfully, I have 106 years of experience. Good thing I was hatched as a fire dragon. When I got to the middle of the circle, my fear and my anger as a result of that fear is reaching a tipping point. I stood there, glaring at the forest.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
[Yes, yes. Growl and intimidate me all you want! I will be your next Guardian so deal with it!] I growled at the forest, talking to it without really thinking about how it looked to see a dragon growling at a forest. [For now, just sit there like a good little forest and let me do what I need to do before I enter!]
Yes, yes; I know it's not really a little forest by any defintion of the word. I was mostly angry and needed venting and the closest thing was the very thing that was scaring me. After a few seconds of staring the forest down, I sit down in the middle of the circle cross-legged and closed my eyes. If you're wondering what I'm doing, I'm funneling my magic into the circle. I have no idea what the thing does or how much magic it'll take but I wanted to get to work as soon as possible. I already wasted time yelling at the forest.
After a few seconds, I start getting an odd feeling. It felt like some other magic was starting to mix my own and circulate back into the circle. I open my eyes but I don't stop funneling my magic. I glare at the entrance of the forest. It wasn't an angry glare; more of a curiosity glare. I was wondering what exactly was happening since it's only happened to me once...when I got my curse mark. The difference was that it didn't feel malicious so I knew it wasn't trying to curse me.
Just what are yo-
I couldn't even finish my thought before my head started pounding. Information about the forest started flooding into my head: from the types my flora to the types of animals and where they are. The types of races that live here was also forced in: from humans to elves; from the fae races to the more endangered races of gnome and many others. Honestly, it's hard to keep track of all the information when it feels like your mind is melting.
I keep roaring in pain and hold my head as I fall over. However, I never did stop funneling my magic. The blasted forest wouldn't let me and trust me: I tried. It lasted for a few minutes before I felt the pain starting to ease up and my magic stopped going into the circle. I roll over on my back, panting heavily as I stared at the sky
No wonder you have to be really strong to come here! That would kill you otherwise given how much magic I used and the information that floods into your head. On the brightside though: if I feel something off, I'll know that something wrong is going on in the forest that'll likely need my attention.
With a sigh, I stand up. I still feel tired but I need to get to work...and that means finding a place to live while I'm here. However, as soon as I step foot into the forest, I feel a shiver run down my spine. I stop walking and look around. I got a bad feeling all of a sudden and it worried me a little. I stop looking when I look directly ahead of me. Instincts I never knew I had told me something was happening over there and I needed to hurry.
Humans chasing someone. Hunters? No, this feeling isn't one I would get if my life was in danger. Hmmm, angry mob chasing someone from their village? It's likely but why did they chase them so far? Also, why are they chasing a wolf half-breed? Something isn't right!
I look up and see some birds coming towards me. They stop where I can see them and confirm my suspicions. I was shocked that my guess was right as I look at the magic circle I left. Shaking my head, I look at the birds to talk to them.
[I'm going to need your help getting the person being chased to safely. I'm exhausted and can't go into my human form and get there in time. I'll tell them to follow you but stay hidden until I get there and stop the persuers. Just take them where the last Guardian stayed!]
The birds fly away and I let out a sigh. That feeling is going to take some gettimg used to but for now, I have to act. I spread my wings and hop into the air and start flying as quick as I can towards where my intincts were telling me to go. I just hope I get there in time.