After a young man - probably close to Evelyn and Neyrelle's age - arrived, Moireach gave him some instructions and led the way to the spot where she found Bearfa injured.
Taking the southeastern road, the group traveled to Kelttr Scar across a bridge connecting the Stronghold to the rest of the world. Including the first eastern bridge they came across earlier today, these two were the only ways in and out of Túr Dúlra.
The location was very close to the bridge, which made Michael raise an eyebrow. There was some blood in the grass, but it wasn't much.
There was also the red trail leading somewhere further ahead, signifying that Bearfa dragged along her injured body to this spot, where she collapsed before Moireach found her.
[It didn't happen here, obviously. But Bearfa knew that I patrolled this area daily, so she came to me, seeking help. This is where I found her.](Moireach)
[It looks like she trailed blood here - it goes up that way.](Gonk)
The Barbarian pointed westward, and Moireach nodded in agreement. Before they could proceed further, though, Michael apologized and asked them to wait for a while.
Moving some bushes out of the way, the other four people were surprised upon seeing a Silent Chest.
[I can't believe I moved through this place daily, but I didn't see it before...](Moireach)
"I'm sure you had more on your mind than searching the bushes for treasures. Anyone else besides me has a Whispering Key?"
Seeing everyone shake their heads, he cursed at the Sanctuary for its lack of entertainment.
Gonk and Moireach, he could understand since they were adults, and gambling with their Obols to hopefully get some good items was understandable. However, the two girls were young!
Seeing the Necromancer's displeased look, Neyrelle quickly explained that their saved-up Murmuring Obols were used up after they reached Level 50.
Neyrelle was luckier and got two Sacred items, while Evelyn got only one. Remembering how he was stuck at World Tier Veteran and couldn't advance to Nightmare temporarily, Michael coughed and spared them a long lecture about morality.
His face dropped further after he opened the Silent Chest and only got some gold coins, Magic, and a Rare item. Now, he was down to only three Whispering Keys.
Unfortunately for the poachers, besides Evelyn and Moireach, Michael was also pissed off and sought a place to vent.
It didn't take long to find something that made even Gonk and Neyrelle angry. As for the two Druids, seeing the dead bear without a trace of skin, fur, paws, or head made their eyes glow an ominous red.
[ This bear has been expertly skinned. The wounds underneath are similar to those that afflict Bearfa. ]
Reading the Sanctuary's description of the body left behind, Moireach responded with a deep guttural growl.
Fortunately, she calmed down temporarily, even though Michael realized that it was only bottling down her emotions. Once she would encounter the poachers...
[The blood trail continues this way. Let's hurry before those rats scurry off!](Moireach)
The group was attacked by giant spiders that would make even Australians scream in fear, as well as four grizzly bears. Fortunately, the two Druids calmed down the bears, and they retreated into the woods.
Evelyn said she could feel the bears' anxiety, meaning the poachers have been messing with them for a while now. Moireach claimed that it must have happened recently since she patrolled this route daily and had never encountered this problem before.
And it made sense, after all, no matter how stupid the poachers were, they wouldn't mess around in the territory of a Druid unless they had a death wish.
That was what he thought... until he met Altan.
"Who are you? What happened?"
A man was sitting crouched on the ground, his intestines almost spilling out. There were laceration marks on his abdomen, and his left hand was mangled, as if something took a bite out of it.
[What happened? What HAPPENED is I need a potion! I'm bleeding out on your boots is what happened, ahh!](?)
[You... Altan? What did this to you?](Moireach)
[One of the damn bears... we were poaching for fun, and one of those damned beasts took a chunk out of me!](Altan)
The party turned silent, and even Evelyn was dumbstruck. Michael's mouth dropped open so wide that a whole fist could fit in without discomfort.
He finally found him! The legendary dumbass who was an expert at courting death!
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Seeing that everyone was silent and was looking at him strangely, Altan began yelling and cursing at them.
[Damn you! Spare a potion!](Altan)
[YOU did this!? You injured my friend trying to POACH her!?](Moireach)
Hearing Moireach mostly growl instead of speaking, the Necromancer paid silent respect for three seconds to the soon-to-be-dead legendary expert.
And surely enough, the Druid morphed into a bear almost as big as Bearfa and ripped the man into pieces. Evelyn nearly joined, but Michael's hand on her head brought enough clarity to her pretty eyes to be satisfied with watching claws and fangs shred the poacher.
Seeing her remain in her bear form even after the poacher was turned into a blood mist fertilizer for the plants, Michael approached Moireach.
[I knew him. One of the villagers living close to Túr Dúlra.They never suffered from hunger under our protection. But now... they poach for fun? FUN!?](Moireach)
"Calm down for now. I don't think he was alone. If you want to take care of this, we should do it properly."
[Right. With Bearfa's size, it's impossible for only one person to do it. *Sniff* *Sniff* It should be ahead. I smell blood and this... insect's scent further ahead. It should be a camp they set up.](Moireach)
Following behind the morphed Druid, Michael saw Evelyn also take a similar form, though she was barely two-thirds of Moireach's size.
It was pretty hypocritical of him to think this way, but he would've preferred if Evelyn and Neyrelle didn't stain their hands with too much human blood, even if it was the blood of those guilty of major crimes.
Looking at Gonk, the Barbarian nodded quietly and moved forward faster, taking the tank role. Michael also urged his minions and the Golem to follow closely behind.
Five minutes later, they passed through an area called Vasily's Reach and had indeed found temporary huts around which many wooden racks were placed. There were furs of different animals, not only bears, as well as meat they were smoking.
Shocked by their audacity, the Necromancer sighed upon hearing Moireach's enraged roar and seeing Evelyn bulldoze her way forward.
The woman reached the group of four poachers at the same time as Gonk did, and they quickly dispatched the group before the others could do anything.
They were normal villagers, so they couldn't stand a chance against an enraged Druid at Level 50, who had morphed into one of the most vicious killing machines even back on Earth.
As for feeling bad for the villagers or thinking that they were executed without a proper trial... seeing the over thirty pelts gathered in a single day, Michael wondered just how badly this group of idiots 'poaching for fun' damaged the local fauna.
Moireach returned to her human form, and he approached her.
"Are you alright?"
[Ahh, I... I am fine. We've been so lax in patrolling our woods. I can't imagine what would happen in a couple more days passed, and I wouldn't have caught them. I will not let this happen again. We owe the forest more than that.](Moireach)
"What do you plan to do?"
[I'll convene those gathered in the Stronghold and tell them of what happened. We'll issue a warning to the glenfolk. We all live through hunting, but killing for fun or sport will never be allowed in our forests!](Moireach)
The woman thanked them again for their help and promptly returned to the Stronghold through quick travel.
Evelyn wanted to join, but Michael stopped her, asking her and the rest of the party to check their MAP first.
In the meantime, the Sanctuary rewarded them for their completed Quest.
[ Side Quest complete - Tending Nature
Reward 1: 33,440 experience points
Reward 2: 2,550 gold coins
Reward 3: Leather Cache. ]
Seeing the pelts on the racks in the temporary camp set up by the poachers vanish, Michael raised an eyebrow but chose not to comment.
Instead, similarly to what the other three were doing, he checked on his MAP, where a Quest Marker appeared.
[ Side Quest - The Traveling Scholar (Level 50+)
Description: Escort Scholar Aria to Túr Dúlra. ]
Since it was still early, the group decided to help since they were nearby.
Actually, 'nearby' was relative, as they had to travel almost an hour to the scholar's location.
Based on the MAP and Gonk's words, the woman called Aria came from the Dry Steppes and was at the western 'entrance' into Scosglen.
They found her near a giant wall filled with carvings, and everyone was surprised to see the young woman carrying a large backpack, inspecting something on the ground, and taking notes in a journal.
"Hello. We are a group of Wanderers passing by and are headed to Túr Dúlra. Do you need any help?"
[Oh? Hello. Túr Dúlra? That's great! My name is Aria.](Aria)
"A pleasure to meet you, Aria. What are you doing out here?"
[Hmm... you seem to know your way around here. Is it true? Have the Druids returned to Túr Dúlra?](Aria)
Michael looked at his party members and saw them shrugging. This young woman was a bit too absorbed in her own world and directly ignored his question.
Still, since the Sanctuary issued a Quest for her, she should be of some value to the continent. One way or another...
So he nodded in answer to her query.
[So it was true! Imagine all the knowledge held in one place, the secrets it could reveal, the things one could discover! Will you help -- oh. I haven't told you what I need or who I am, have I?](Aria)
The Necromancer's mouth twitched while the two girls snickered behind his back, making him want to smack them.
As for the airhead in front of him, who even forgot that she introduced herself seconds ago... he would simply ignore her.
[I am Aria, a scholar of druidic studies, at your service! I'm on my way to Túr Dúlra, but the journey is a bit too dangerous for me alone, so I was pondering what to do next. Luckily, you people appeared in my time of need.](Aria)
"..."
Seeing that even Gonk had trouble containing his laughter, Michael rubbed the bridge of his nose, looking at the airhead in front of him.
She was probably around 20-something, definitely on the younger end. Even if the pair of glasses lacked to complete her bookworm-like appearance, there was no denying that she was a nerd through and through.
However, to just up and travel after hearing that Druids returned to Túr Dúlra when you are just a weakling and might encounter deadly monsters on your way there... this woman had a very low EQ.
[Will you accompany me? I'll make it worth your while.](Aria)
[Sure, sure! Let's go! We'll take you there.](Evelyn)
Evelyn and Neyrelle had already grabbed Aria's hand and began conversing with her. One was a Druid, and the other was a Knowledge Seeker, so both had something in common with the airhead scholar.
Gonk shrugged to show he didn't care much, so they accepted the request.
[ Side Quest issued - The Traveling Scholar
Objective: Take Aria to the ruins
Description: Aria, a traveling scholar, is excited about the Druids returning to Túr Dúlra and wants to study with them. She would like you to escort her through the dangers of the Deep Forest and safely to Túr Dúlra. ]
Realizing that they had reached the place where Yuein asked them to search for more of those druidic stones they had hidden from Astaroth, Michael looked strangely at Aria.
The Quest didn't ask them to bring her directly to the Stronghold; rather, it showed an area on the MAP west of their current location.
The 'ruins' mentioned should probably be there.
Gonk approached him and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear.
[What's this about?](Gonk)
"I have no clue. It probably has to do with what she was looking at when we found her. Anyway, now that we have accepted the Quest, we need to bring her to Túr Dúlra. Let's consider it a walk."
[Shit! It looks like it won't be one of the usual 'walks,' though.](Gonk)
Michael sighed as he watched the Barbarian rush to the front, where a group of spiders was rushing at them.
Looking at his experience bar, which was at 494,837/1,571,130, the Necromancer shrugged and ordered his minions to assist Gonk.