Chapter 4: Into the Kingdom
In the castle, kingdom not far away from the forest. Officials are gathered in one place and it's inside the meeting room.
The room was filled with tension, as the high-ranking officials whispered among themselves, their faces drawn with concern. Seated at the head of the table, the king sat silently, his expression unreadable, though the weight of the situation was evident in his eyes.
"My lord, we have confirmation," One of the advisors finally said, breaking the silence. His voice was low but firm, and he held a scroll in his hand. "There have been multiple sightings of strange activity in the forest near the borders of the kingdom. A large creature, possibly a Roc, and reports of unusual lightning storms."
The king leaned forward, steepling his fingers as he considered the information. "A Roc? That close to our lands? They live in the mountains, right? Why is there one in the forest?"
The advisor hesitated, glancing down at the scroll in his hand before meeting the king's gaze. "That is unclear, Your Majesty. Roc sightings in this region are rare, and they usually remain within their high mountain territories."
The king's brow furrowed deeply, his gaze piercing through the advisor. "Rocs do not venture from their domains without reason. If this one is in the forest, something must have drawn it there. What about the unusual lightning storms?"
"We still don't have enough information about that, Your Majesty. But maybe it was from the Roc."
The king leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest as he considered the advisor's words.
"Unlikely, Rocs can summon powerful lightning, but lightning storms of that magnitude? It doesn't align with what we know about them."
The general, seated further down the table, spoke up. "Your Majesty, if it wasn't the Roc, then there is a possibility of another force at work—perhaps a magic user or an elemental creature."
"Elementals have not been seen in these lands for centuries. Are you suggesting one has resurfaced?"
"It's a possibility we can't ignore, Your Majesty. Elementals, especially those tied to storms or lightning, would explain the unusual weather patterns we've been observing. If one has been disturbed or awakened, it could be responsible for both the Roc's presence and the storms."
The room fell silent, the weight of the possibility hanging over them. Elementals were beings of immense power, unpredictable and dangerous, and they hadn't been a part of the kingdom's reality for generations. The very idea of one reemerging was enough to unsettle even the most experienced officials.
The king exhaled slowly, his mind racing through the potential consequences. "If it is an elemental, we must proceed with extreme caution. Any misstep could provoke it further, and we cannot risk unleashing its full wrath on the kingdom."
The royal mage, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke, "If it truly is an elemental, diplomacy might be our best initial approach. We don't know its motives, and elementals can be reasoned with, provided they have not been completely consumed by their elemental nature. I will go with the investigation team and personally assess the situation."
"Very well. Seraphina, you will lead the investigation team into the forest. Bring your most skilled mages and be prepared for anything. If you determine that diplomacy is possible, try to communicate with this entity." He paused, his voice growing harder. "As for the Stormfeather Roc, please exterminate it.
The royal mage bowed her head. "I understand, Your Majesty. I will leave at once."
The king's gaze shifted to the general. "I want Kaizer to accompany her, but discreetly."
"But... Your majesty, Kaizer is—"
"That is my final decision."
The room went silent, the tension thickening as the king's command hung in the air. The general, clearly uncomfortable, hesitated before replying. "As you wish, Your Majesty." He knew better than to question the king further, but the concern was evident in his eyes.
...
It's been three days since I met the girl, she said she's a adventurer and she was not supposed to head this deep into the forest.
She had introduced herself as Lyra, an adventurer from the kingdom near this forest, and from the bits of her story she shared, it became clear that her journey into the forest was a mistake—one that nearly cost her life.
"You weren't supposed to be this deep in the forest, huh?" I remarked, floating beside her as she leaned against the cave wall, her wounds nearly healed thanks to the rapid recovery my abilities granted her.
She nodded, rubbing her shoulder absently. "I didn't plan to come this far, no. But my group... we got separated after an ambush. I was trying to find my way back when that thing found me first."
Her gaze drifted toward the cave entrance, where the Roc rested. Despite its initially terrifying presence, she had grown accustomed to its company, though the sight of the massive creature still gave her pause.
"That beast that attacked you... it wasn't a regular creature, was it?"
"No, it wasn't. It was... warped somehow, twisted by something unnatural. I've seen my share of monsters in my time as an adventurer, but that thing? It was like it had been corrupted by dark magic. Its eyes, the way it moved—it wasn't right."
"Well, whatever it was, it's gone now. Also I wanted to show you a new transformation of mine."
[Notice: Transformation available, Flame Rabbit, would you like to transform?]
Aye!
My form began to shimmer as a warm, fiery aura enveloped me. In an instant, I shifted into a small, sleek rabbit, my fur is blue and my above my head was a gentle flames that flickered harmlessly.
"A blue rabbit... with flames? That's adorable!" She exclaimed, kneeling to get a closer look. "And the flames don't even burn me," She added, brushing her fingers through the flickering fire atop my head.
"Say, do you think you can get me into the kingdom with my form like this?"
"Yeah, It would look like you're a magical companion of mine. But why do you want to get into kingdom?"
"I'm curious about what adventurers are doing."
"You want to know about adventurers? You know, they can be a bit reckless. But I get it—there's a whole world beyond this forest, and I've seen some incredible things."
"See? That's what I mean, and you're the first human I've met here. So I want to see more."
"Alright then! Let's head into the kingdom and see what we can learn. But remember, we'll need to be careful. If anyone asks about you, just act cute and innocent."
I nodded, my little flames flickering in anticipation.
"But... What about that Roc? They are not supposed to be in the forest, they live in mountains." Lyra asked to me, she's staring at the Roc who's resting.
"Well, I don't have anything that can make it smaller, so... let's just leave it here for now."
"I hope it stays put. It's a bit hard to explain a giant bird to anyone in the kingdom."
"Yeah, we'll figure that out later. For now, let's focus on getting you back safely," I said, my flame flickering softly in my rabbit form.
As we began to navigate through the forest, Lyra's strength seemed to return, bolstered by the healing. She moved with more confidence, though I could tell she was still wary of the wilds around us.
"Tell me more about your adventures," I encouraged, eager to hear her stories. Well.. not exactly that eager I just want to cheer her up.
"Well, there was this one time I joined a group of adventurers to explore an ancient ruin. It was said to be haunted, but we needed the treasures rumored to be hidden inside."
I listened intently, jumping on her shoulder as she spoke. "Haunted? What happened?"
"We found more than we bargained for," She continued, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Ghostly apparitions started appearing, trying to scare us off. But instead of running, we decided to communicate with them. Turns out, they were guardians of the treasure, protecting it from those who didn't respect its history."
"Did you get the treasure?" I asked, intrigued.
"Eventually! We offered to help the spirits find peace. After a few trials and a bit of negotiation, they let us take a few artifacts as a reward. It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life."
She continues to share her stories as we make our way through the forest. Until we stopped in front of a stone wall, there's a gate with knights guarding it and people are in line to get inside the kingdom.
"This is the main gate to the kingdom. We'll need to blend in to avoid drawing attention."
I nodded, feeling the warmth of my flames flicker slightly in response to her nervousness. "So, what's the plan?"
Lyra took a deep breath, straightening her posture. "I'll act like a regular adventurer bringing in a magical companion. Just stay close and be cute, alright?"
With a little hop, I perched on her shoulder, flames glowing softly as we approached the gate. The knights, clad in gleaming armor, were checking the line of travelers, their expressions stern but attentive.
As we drew near, one of the knights stepped forward, his gaze scrutinizing. "State your business."
Lyra smiled, keeping her tone casual. "I'm returning from a journey into the forest. I found this little guy—" She gestured to me— "and I thought I'd bring him back to the kingdom as a magical companion. I have a few trinkets I collected, too."
The knight raised an eyebrow but seemed to soften slightly. "Trinkets, you say? Do you have proof?"
With a confident nod, Lyra pulled a small pouch from her satchel, filled with various shiny gemstones. She opened it just enough for the knight to see.
He examined it closely before looking back at her. "Very well, but make sure your companion behaves. We don't need any trouble from magical creatures today."
"Of course! He's harmless," She replied, giving me a playful scratch behind the ears. I let out a small, adorable squeak, the flames flickering gently in response.
With a nod, the knight waved us through. "Proceed."
Lyra and I slipped past the gates, blending into the flow of travelers entering the kingdom. The bustling streets of the capital city unfolded before us, alive with merchants hawking their goods, children running between the stalls, and adventurers recounting their tales over mugs of ale. It was a stark contrast to the serenity of the forest.
"This place is... chaotic," I whispered, my flames flickering softly as I took in the sights.
Lyra chuckled, her hand instinctively resting on her sword hilt. "That's the city for you. It's always like this—especially in the market district. But it's full of life, and it's home to all kinds of people, adventurers included."
We walked through the crowded streets, my small rabbit form drawing occasional curious glances but nothing that raised any alarms. People were used to magical creatures, especially as companions to adventurers. Still, I kept a low profile, not wanting to attract unnecessary attention.
"Where are we headed first?" I asked, hopping onto her shoulder as we navigated the crowded alleyways.
"I need to report back to the Adventurer's Guild about what happened in the forest. They need to know about that twisted creature."
As we approached the towering stone building that served as the Adventurer's Guild, the sounds of laughter, arguments, and clinking mugs spilled out from inside. It was a lively place, filled with people eager to prove themselves or recount their latest exploits.
Lyra pushed open the heavy doors, and we stepped into the bustling interior. The air was thick with the smell of food, sweat, and the metallic tang of weapons. Adventurers of all shapes and sizes crowded around tables, sharing stories, haggling over jobs, and showing off their trophies.
Lyra moved through the crowd with practiced ease, her eyes scanning the room until she found who she was looking for—a tall, burly man standing near the job board. His armor was well-worn, and a scar ran down his face, marking him as a seasoned adventurer.
"Roderick!"
He turned, his stern expression softening when he saw her. "Lyra, you're back! We were starting to worry."
"I made it, but barely. We need to talk—something strange is happening in the forest." She gestured toward a corner table, away from the bustling crowd.
Roderick followed her, his brow furrowed in concern. As they sat down, I hopped onto the table, keeping quiet as they discussed the situation. Lyra gave a detailed account of the creature that attacked her and of course she didn't tell anything about me or my pet Roc.
Roderick listened intently, his arms crossed as he leaned back in his chair, nodding occasionally. "A twisted creature, you say? Dark magic is rare in these parts, but not unheard of. The last time we dealt with something like this, it was..." He trailed off, his eyes narrowing in thought. "Years ago. And back then, it nearly brought down half the kingdom."
Lyra frowned. "Do you think it's the same kind of threat?"
"Could be. The corruption you're describing sounds familiar, though I haven't heard of anything like that in a long time. If this is just the beginning, the forest might not be the only place affected."
"So what do we do?"
Roderick rubbed his chin, the scar on his face tightening as he frowned. "I'll send word to the Guild's higher-ups, but until we know more, we can't act recklessly. For now, we should organize a team to investigate further into the forest. We'll need to find the source of the corruption before it spreads."
"I'll help, of course. I know the area well now, and if more creatures like that one are lurking around, we need to deal with them before they cause more damage."
Roderick glanced at me, perched on the table, my blue fur flickering softly with flames. "And your little companion here? Where did you find it?"
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone