“Thank you Baphomet. Do you want to go to war as well? There might be your People at the other side, so you do not need to, if you have thoughts against it.”
“We are happy to have a choice, but this time it is not necessary as we will be honoured to be able to fight alongside our friends in this Crater.”
“Leaf, tell the Root we will move through the Woods Tomorrow with a large Troop. We need to go west and I have no patience for any kind of deflection or complaint.”
“As you wish, my Lord. I will emphasize the notion that this is not a request but a statement.”
“Good, that will keep them from doing something dumb hopefully. Prime, are the Experiments awake?”
“Dagon is having a hard time acclimating to his body, but Berserker is ready to go. King Jelly has still no working consciousness and just rampages without reason, so not usable. Jabberwocky does not move, its body is still mutating, The new Lindwurm won’t wake up and needs more time.”
“Two out of five. How do you feel?”
“Ready to test the changes.”
“Three out of six, so half of the tests are ready. Fine we will handle it.”
Snow seeing how Null is walking around and commanding everyone around without her having a clue what is going on finally snapped.
“Null! What is going on?!”
“Snow, please be as relaxed as possible, when I tell you what is going on. I myself can barely contain myself.”
“I am calm and will understand. Do not worry about me, just tell me straight out.”
“In the Steppe an alliance has raided the Bovine Clan. They did not want anything but a person before leaving. Also they ordered Hoof to travel to us to tell us their ultimatum. I am to go to the Alliance or they will torture and burn Spot as a collaborator of the Beast of Starfall and me the Unbeing.”
Hearing it Snow was calm and composed until the last sentence. She needed a few seconds to understand what was told to her before the cry to war from her little body shook the whole Castle.
—
“Hoof I am so sorry for this. If I had known, it would have been better to not be too friendly with your tribe.”
“It is not your fault Null. The Clans suddenly came in droves and demanded Spot. I have no Idea why they just wanted her. I would have fought until my last drop of blood but Huffing, our new Chief, ordered us to lower our weapons.”
“He just let them take her?”
“In hindsight I understood. They were too many, if we had fought we might have been eradicated, but still!”
“Please do not worry. Right now we are preparing a group to go searching for her.”
“They said they would bring her to the Sacrificial hills. This is very deep in the Steppe, I know the way. There are also Ruins there, but they were already explored by us. It was said this place might be dangerous but inert and for this reason guarded but never settled.”
“Sacrificial Hills, huh? Sounds ominous.”
“I never understood the name. There was never a sacrifice being made. I think they want to use the place for being far from any Clan to lower the casualties. But why did they need my Daughter?!”
“I have an inkling of what is going on, but right now I am working more on how to get Spot back with the least bit of harm. We will start traveling tomorrow morning. Right now supplies are being worked out.”
“I do not know if I can rest. Since they took my daughter I am like a shell. Flower my Wife was crying the whole time, I do not know how she is doing right now.”
‘If I remember correctly, Breathing in Flower through Nose and sneezing Petals was Spot on her Nose’s Mother? Better work hard and bring her back.’
“Just rest a while. We will bring you back to your Tribe first before going to the place where they want to meet.”
“No! I will follow and show you the way, as any Minute is agony!”
“As you wish, Hoof. Just stay at the back and be careful. I would hate it if we rescue Spot and had to explain to her how you became a casualty.”
“I am her father, why does it sound like you are more worried about her than me?”
“She is a friend, like you are. I hate people taking things from me, especially friends or Family. This is going below my bottom line multiple times. I will not only bring her back but see to it, that no one will try that again!”
Hoof was shocked by the words of Null.
“Null, I know your secret. Red Horn did explain to me what you are and what Snow is in detail, but I do not care, as you were always cordial. While I had kept my worries deep down, they were still there, but not anymore. I now know, even if you are something from a place most horrid and a being that should not even exist, you are a true friend. I will show you my full appreciation after my Daughter is safe. For now this is a scroll Red Horn gave me to give you, if you ever save my Daughter from peril. His last words and deep visions before going to the evergreen Fields. I did not look into it as it was for you. No one knows I was ordered to hold onto it.”
Taking the Roll of Parchment Null put it away for now.
“She is not yet rescued. I read it after getting her out alive.”
“Still honourable and hard headed like my old pops. Fine, I trust you and try to sleep a bit. We will walk tomorrow, but the Forest might take a while for us to traverse. Without the strange Elves guiding me I would not have found the way so fast.”
“I have my own way through. I need to also thank the Root for guiding you through the Forest. The Amulet does not work in this strange place anymore. Now sleep for a while. We can talk tomorrow on the way back.”
While Hoof was saying he would have a hard time to sleep, after hearing the words from Null how he will do his best he could finally relax and fell asleep even before Null could close the door of the guest cottage in the Lost Village.
On the way back to the Castle, Null was determined.
“Not holding back. I feel the Invader alive and already growing inside something from the other side. When it hatches it will call me, I am sure, so I have no reason to be subtle anymore. Let me make them regret messing with my friends.”
—
Inside the Misty Forest, Elves were waiting for what would happen. Last evening they suddenly got a loud and authoritative Message from Dreaming Leaf about a convoy. While the Message was rather rude, it made them curious. The last time a large Convoy was walking through this Forest was about a hundred human Children being led by Snow and Null until they were met with some older human Women helping them move the rest of the way. It was a pathetic look, but the children were no threat and the non aggression pact was already in effect. Now they had an alliance and just wondered if Null would be so bold to ask for more than just passage.
It sounded serious and also the horned beastman was extremely desperate. If it is some kind of Battle, they might have to work reluctantly together with them, all because of the silly alliance the Queen Mother made. Many were not fully sure about this kind of Alliance, as they do not know the prowess of this Crater anyways. There was the loss of a hundred Elite, but no one explained it and it could just be a mistake in assessing the threat or maybe they fell into a trap. Anyways the watchful eyes of all Family trees were on the opening, especially of the two, who had their Names changed in dishonor.
*GROOOWL*
{Something is coming out!}
The Root were ready, but not ready for what they saw. A gigantic black dog with two Heads and flames between their teeth was dragging a carriage. On the front of the Carriage was a strange looking Wolfman as the Coachman. He looked more like a caricature of a Wolf in human Form with many disproportions. On the back of the Carriage hung the Lantern Null was carrying before, but now it shone brighter and more stable.
Seeing this Monstrosity was already shocking when out of the Tunnel a gigantic Beastman came. Four horns and four Arms decorated the muscular naked body. Male or Female could not be seen as this Creature had both gender typical body parts. Five Eyes looked around and afterwards just waved and the pocket spaces in the Forest just moved away making way for them to travel unhindered. Shocked by the power of something moving the Magic of the Forest like this made them shiver. Behind this creature came more normal people with masks. Every single one looked female in leather armor and their Masks were all decorated with different kinds of claw marks. While they looked somewhat weak their presence made them feel extremely dangerous. After two dozen of those people came out Some kind of Hog monsters were behind them. Scarred and having a wild glint in their eyes they were somewhat humanoid but their Arms were longer and even more muscular than the legs, while being used like another pair of legs like some Gorilla.
Inside that group were two who looked different. One had a gigantic hatchet and the other Gauntlets. Those two walked more upright, but had an even more savage aura between them. At the end a black Boar Monster was seen. Frothing at the mouth it had only a mohawk of hair down the head and along the spine. The Black skin had a luster like steel and it was chained up while being dragged by four Brutes, those Hog people.
As they finally thought this monster parade over a gigantic wet hand dragged a humongous Fish person out of the Tunnel. Finally out it stood tall to at least ten Meters, breathing rhythmically and deeply. Even just looking at it made the Root shiver. Its scales looked wet but sturdy. Maybe the bulging eyes were a weak point, but would it even be worth it to antagonize?
When the shock about the Creature was abating more little fish people about 1.5 Meter tall came out of the tunnels. There were even more than those Brutes with their abnormally large arms and hog faces. Also they wore armor made out of chitin, bones and even scales, which looked like their own skin. Using their deceased as materials, not even the most savage tribes would do that, but here they are, fish people cannibalizing their own for resources.
After counting the convoy there were about four hundred ‘people’ walking to the West. While it was not an exceptional amount and humans had attacked with more than those numbers, everyone looked rather dangerous. They looked like somewhat sapient beings, but had the reek of Miasma on them.
{The loss of our brethren was not a fluke. If that is only a small convoy, what else is hiding in that cursed hole?!}
{Silence! Not only do they have people who can understand Root, remember they can talk to trees! Do not antagonize them. Just watch and keep a large distance.}
—
Inside the Carriage dragged by Oros the two headed Dog was sitting Null, Snow, Hoof, Prime, Esther and Leaf. The Interior was rather large and had enough space for all of them but the travel through the woods was still very rough to even the cushioned suspensions.
“My Lord, the Root have a bit of respect for your Army. While they can not fully fathom the strength of the creatures, they keep a wide distance and explain every single detail to the Elders, which they can grasp out of the grouping. Some Elders even told their children they would be personally coming to see for themselves.”
“So they are finally taking us a bit seriously, Leaf. Better for the Queen, as they can see we are not without teeth. Still I am pissed, why does all happen at the same time?! Invitation from the Root, Rendlar vanishing and now Spot being captured. What is going on?”
While Null complained Esther interjected.
“Oh, I don’t know Null. Maybe it has something to do with the rift in time and space, which might have been rippled through all the continent, or maybe the gigantic black rift looking like an enormous needle nearly scraping the red Moon or the sudden ejection of unfathomable Mana into the Woods changing them into a World of Wonder and Death, but maybe the statement you made to the Telk Ambassadors was leaked, as you were not quite gentle- Oh, sorry I was at fault with this one too, breaking wards of a whole City with one swipe might have perturbed them.”
“Yeah, yeah understood. I might have had to be more subtle with the whole Ritual, but we had no time and the less brute force we had used the lower the chance and the more the risk of heavy injury on Baphomet aligning two Worlds through the void.”
“Nah, I do not try to see fault in your doing, but please understand you were more conspicuous in the last Month than the whole two years before.”
“Well then, let us make sure no one messes with us again. Not only for us, but for Hoof and Spot. I do not want them to suffer for us looking weak again.”
“Thank you Null. I do not regret being a friend of yours, even with my daughter in peril. I regret not being able to safe her myself.”
“Not your fault. How many Tribes came? Seven? Eight? The whole Oxen Clan would have been eradicated if you had fought. Still using innocent as bait, those tribes will suffer.”
“...I should plead for leniency as they are fellow tribes, but the words would make me throw up blood. Do what you must, Null.”
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
“I will do that. There should never be a danger to people I like. Better make this crystal clear.”
“Null, will we be early enough? I would like to run in advance to see if I can rescue her faster.”
“Snow, I know how you feel, but this time there are too many. They came in a group once and we made them suffer. This time they will be more prepared.”
“Understood…”
“Prime, how are you feeling?”
“I am fine. This excursion should show where there might be some needed improvements, but right now I see no demerits, Father.”
“That is good. Please say if you might go critical. We don’t want to lose you just like that.”
“I understand, Father”
Prime, the first clone of Snow had now a form more resembling Snow’s pure human form. Her hair was silver while her eyes had a glowing blue inside of them. From the time she was a simple copy with nearly no memory and knowledge is nothing to be seen anymore.
“Finished the first one. Let me see what you think.”
Null pulled out of his clothes a banner. He is working on them inside the Crater while his Body Nemo was only being used to communicate. Right now Null does this to keep his mind not wandering, as it is the first time in a long time he felt ‘time’ itself not going fast enough. Normally he could be working on something for weeks without noticing how much time is passed, but right now he felt the time drag on like when he was human; he hates this feeling right now to the core of his being.
“This is your Flag you want to bring? It is… purple!”
“Yes Snow, it is purple. Much of our beings has to do with purple, so better adding this into it.”
Esther herself looked over it and also gave her opinion.
“Well it is purely purple with black and gold stitching around, but what is with the black Circle in the middle? Did it not dry enough?”
In the middle was a black dot, nearly taking the full upper half of the banner to its own. Streaks of black dripped down the length of the Banner like the Color was dripping.
“The Circle can be seen as… um, me. The drip is the bleeding part of my soul i saw in my visions. It can also be seen like the black dot is the crater and we bleed out of it, changing the environment.”
“Ominous, well then I like it!”
“We do not only bad things Esther. Our work makes wrong things right, you know that, right?”
“Yeah, yeah. As long as you are here we work on that Miasma to Mana project you and that short sentenced freak are working on. By the way, why did he not sent some Soldiers with us?”
“He hates war. You have heard about that, right? Also he does not want to have his Golems do harm to anyone ever again.”
“A pacifist who can build Machines of War in days. What a waste.”
“No waste, he just does not want to hurt with his genius but heal.”
“Shall he do what he wants. I want to learn how to better my runic knowledge, even if it means to work with that imbecile.”
“You really don’t see us as your family, huh?”
Snow threw in her thoughts at the end. The discussion was broken and Esther did not really know how to answer.
“Wait, I did not… It is not like that, I… Ugh! Since living with you I have gained so much and you just made me do very little work, except one or two experiments on my body, where I feared for my life, but that is another topic! I feel indebted to you and like you very much. It is fun with you all! But what shall I do, when you go away? Staying in that crater would be boring, so better work on what I can while you are here!”
“So you do like us a little?”
“Snow, you dense little rat! I do not like you ‘a little’, I like you a LOT! It is just you worked on me like a lab r… guinea pig and I am still a bit miffed you want to just go away right after we started to finally be getting some fun!”
“Oh, I see! Then why do you not come with us?”
“No, not happening. Why should I leave my World for something I do not know anything about?”
Null interjected this time.
“The runic knowledge in Ertralis is different from here. They not only use circles but Runic columns and can use finger signs to emulate another kind of Rune art.”
“Seriously?! They do not use those dangerous runes like the ones on the transfer Circle, do they?”
“Never seen them, but I remember runes looking different between elven, and human. Dwarfs might have their own runes too, but I do not know about it, as I had not seen a dwarf on my trips.”
“I will think about it, but relearning everything from the beginning sounds like a chore. Are you remembering correctly?”
“Who knows, I was thrown into the Void, remember? I can not even remember my true Name.”
“Not really making it sound that enticing right now. I do not want to be scrambled.”
“That is the beacon for. Think about it, you have maybe a few Months before we depart, so relax and take your time.”
Hoof found finally a time to ask his most worrisome question between the smalltalk.
“What is the plan? How are we saving my Daughter?”
“Do not worry about that Hoof. We have a plan. While the small army is for the cleanup, there are already many contingency plans made at the same time. As long as she is alive, we will bring her back. If they did something to her they will follow her to the eternal grasslands as fertilizer for the crops.”
“It worries me even more hearing that, but I try my best to be calm.”
“You are not the only one who is not calm. Snow is also worrying. Anna wanted to go too but her Father forbid her this dangerous trek, but she nearly hauled all of the herbs and bandages from the healers to us for emergencies.”
“Our Lord, we have arrived at the edge of the Forest.”
Baphomet’s voice was heard outside. Taking this the people inside pulled the cloth over the windows aside to see the Steppe.
“This time we are not here for peace. I made some banners, share them with the troops to wield. We will go into the Steppe grandly.”
Affirming Null’s Orders, Baphomet took the banners and gave the separate races each one to wield. Two of them were draped on the side of the Carriage, while Baphomet made the pole longer for himself to use it like a walking stick while waving the Banner on top. This is the first true expedition the Crater made and everyone knew there will be much bloodshed.
— Meanwhile —
A small convoy started from the border City Halk into the now Misty Forest. Mercenaries were ordered to keep a close eye on the large Carriage and not go too far away from the Group as the Forest is way more dangerous than before.
At the front is a Mercenary team with a female Elf leading the group. Looking around she often ordered strange detours and changes in direction, but everyone heeded her words.
Inside the Carriage were some Mages trying their best to understand and ward off the Fog, but the success is rather meagre. They can hold it away for a little bit but it is taking their whole concentration to just keep it away a few meters.
“This fog is seriously hard to fathom. No wonder they called us for the expedition. Lyra, can you explain?”
A lithe man with a rapier on his side talked to the elven Woman in front, appearing to be a Member of the same Mercenary group.
“This Place is suddenly very high in Mana. Not only that, but it permeates every single tree and plant. This place is changing too fast to understand.”
“You can say ‘no’ if you have no idea.”
“If there is a Mana well erupting, then it might change the whole continent after the Forest.”
“That is good right?”
“...”
“That is good right?”
“I have no Idea. It is too fast to say what will happen because of it.”
“WOLF!”
Another member shouted directly seeing the silhouette of a giant Wolf in the mist.
“Do not shoot!”
The Lyra ordered her companions. The wolf just looked at them and after a few seconds just vanished.
“That was one heck of a Wolf! Did the Monsters mutate?”
“That was not a Monster. It was a mystic Beast.”
“A what now?”
“Miasma changes Animals into Monsters. Mana does clean them and if there is an abundance of Mana they become mystic Beasts.”
“So they are still worth something?”
“...yes, but we are here to traverse and not slaughter the guardian Beasts of this Forest.”
“Then maybe later.”
“I am out, if you want to hunt them. They are not only holy in my beliefs, they have high intelligence and feel hostility. Those are not simple Monster who might fight in packs.”
“If she is out, I am out too, Misha.”
Hearing the answer from the one scout who saw the Wolf first, Misha the Mercenary with the Rapier was sighing.
“Fine, we just collect Info and sell it. Right now the prices have skyrocketed for knowledge of this Forest.”
“At least you are not dumb for a human.”
The group trekked further into the Forest until Lyra gave a signal to halt.
“Everyone, please hear me out. Right now we are in a crisis and I hope you do as I tell you to do, so we can survive.”
“Um Lyra what is going on?”
“Just trust me, we have company. Everyone put away your weapons or lay them on the ground.”
“Are you insane? Do you think Monsters would walk away just because we are-”
“They are no Monsters, just do what I say or I can not guarantee anything.”
“F*ck…”
As the first group lay down their weapons the others reluctantly did so too. While they did not know what was going on, if an Elf did say something to do in a mysterious Forest, then most knew the Elf knew something they didn’t.
{We are here in order to peacefully traverse your Domain. Please accept our apology if we offended you.}
For a short while no answer came. As Lyra was speaking in an unknown language, they finally noticed they might be surrounded by other elves. Being in Danger but not seeing the danger is the most scary part of a mercenary’s life.
Seconds ticked by and after half a minute three strange looking elves came out of the Mist. At reflex some wanted to grab their weapons, but could hold themselves back.
“What does a pretty flower like you do in our Forest with a horde of Humans, if I am allowed to ask?”
While the words were gentle the superiority figuratively oozed out of the words.
“I greet the Roots of our Family. My Name is Liliana Alura Questa. So you are still residing in this Forest. I apologize for our trek through your Woods, but we search the way to the Starfall Mountains.”
“So you are visiting Lord Null. You have no sign of him on yourself, can you tell us what you want to do if you reach his Domain?”
Lyra was shocked by the way the Root were talking about the person which occupies the Starfall Mountain. Not only did they use honorifics, but seem to protect him from harm.
‘Since when do our ancestors see someone as an equal?’
“We mean no harm, just visiting his Domain to ask for his produce. Our Contractors are the Peddler King, which already had a trade with him.”
“I see. Pretty Flower, your travel might need to be delayed, as he is right now not in his Domain.”
A human from the Convoy interrupted the talk as he heard him not being there.
“Do you know where he is?”
Looking at the Human with disdain, the Root was thinking if she even deigned to give an answer, after a short while she came to the conclusion to just be cordial.
“Let me humour you, he is right now going to battle. I do not know when he will be back.”
“Battle? Is someone attacking him?”
“No further questions. You can visit another time.”
Retreating into the Mist the three Root vanished like they were never even been real. After a slight pause Lyra sighed while the man on the wagon was not amused by being slighted like that.
“We travel forward.”
“No we can’t!”
Lyra interjected.
“The Root barred us the way. If they say we shall come back another time we have to heed their warning, as it is their Forest. If you want to force your way through you will die.”
“Rather brazen Elves for denying Mages passage. Who do they think they are?”
“The same beings which barred you centuries from exploiting these woods and now there is this Mist, which gives them even more advantage, I will not risk my Head for stupidity.”
Misha stood with this statement by the side of Lyra. He knew if she said something, she meant it. Unlike other Elves her blood is not diluted, she is a true Wood Elf with vast knowledge and lived multiple centuries.
“...Fine! But this means you will only be paid half and have to go into the forest every Week to ask when he is back. Your Elf companion seems to have a way negotiate, better use that to earn your coin!”
“Lyra?”
“I will do my best. Better than traveling this protected Forest without permission. Now I am curious about who they might be friends with.”
“We turn back for now. Stay put in Halk, we need you again, when the Lord decides to be home for once!”
The grumpy Mage went back and studied the Fog with his colleagues. While working on his own devices Misha went closer to Lyra to ask for more insight.
“So, they are an offspring or so from the wood elves?”
“The other way around. We are a descendance from the Root. They are our ancestors and have high pride.”
“At least they seem to see your beauty. They did say you were a pretty flower-”
“Shush! That was not a compliment, it was an insult. Pretty flower means a flower in a vase to them. Cut off with no roots only being pretty and nothing else.”
“So they were not only looking down on us humans? Why did I never hear of such overbearing ancestors of you?”
“...we try to forget them. They do not want contact with us, as we have branched off too far for them.”
“Upstuck, egoistical ancestor Elves with an attitude, maybe it is better for-”
Lyra put a knife on Misha’s throat. Her eyes were serious.
“L-Lyra?”
“Do not disrespect the Root. Yes we have a bad relationship, yes we see each other as a nuisance, but deep down there is one thing, which is clear. The Root are our Ancestors and sacred in all aspects. Even if we are friends for so long, I will not hesitate to kill you if you mock them.”
“I understand. Please take the knife away.”
Putting the knife back in the sheath, Lyra looked torn.
“I know you did not mean it like that, but there are things you do not know and I can not explain them to you. Just see it like you often do and use the description of ‘an elf thing’ for it and keep your mouth shut.”
“Will do. While your species is complicated in many ways, I know I can trust you. Please warn me beforehand next time, I do not want a knife again against my throat.”
“Better than an Arrow made by the Root through your back. They do not play and can eradicate us without anyone ever finding our bodies.”
“That strong?”
“Stronger. WAY stronger.”
The rest of the travel back was filled in Silence. Not only did the Bickle not get his convoy to the Starfall Mountains, but had to wait until they heard news of Lord Null being back first before trying again. He already had a headache with procuring the Produce and now he is stalled even more.