Chapitre 234: Huntret’s Wood
Desk Guy stared at the monitor, chin resting on his intertwined fingers.
He had watched the fight, of course he had he wouldn't miss it for the life of him, and was unsure how to feel.
Why was the Priest so cold?!
Why was their War Sight so strong?!
Yet despite these thoughts he was ecstatic! Such a clear and straightforward win in the beginning! This would clearly serve as a morale boost regardless of how cold one was.
Too bad he had to wait so long for their next match!
~ ~ ~
"Boss. . . this-"
"Stop calling me Boss."
The flaming red-haired archer hesitated before continuing, "This fight was a little too one sided."
"Do you understand why I said we have to watch them?"
"Ha! So some Priest has a strong skill, so what? If we can't combat against some random skill, we should quit now!"
The blue-haired individual looked over, "Feyn, let's not be overconfident. After all that is only one of their members."
Feyn harrumphed but said no more.
The blue haired player sighed, "When's our matchup again?"
"In an hour."
~ ~ ~
"Hmm, do you really need all this?"
"Collecting seeds of a near extinct flower requires not only a careful procedure, but also good equipment."
Zanyill frowned but did not refute the statement.
The woman looked over to Travis, "Ah, I do believe we haven't been properly introduced. I'm Nana, retired soldier."
Travis was slightly surprised at the introduction. Yet he introduced himself, "Travis, Baron of the Abyss."
"An Abyssal Being? With no mana control?"
"I was originally a Champion."
"Oh? That's quite impressive. But how did you manage-?"
Zanyill interrupted, "The Everlasting Abyss lacks in Mana, it's a different energy they control."
Nana frowned, "But Mana exists everywhere, how could they not?"
"It exists yes, but it's not of an abundance as their own. Only Royals would know."
Travis inwardly frowned at that, if that was the case why didn't Flinnder or Dimitrin teach him?
Nana did not push further, "Well Travis, it's a pleasure meeting you."
"Likewise. Where is this Huntret's Wood anyway?"
"About a month's trip away."
Travis was taken aback, they would be traveling for a month?!
Nana eased his worries almost immediately, "Luckily, Zanyill has something that will greatly shorten the trip."
Zanyill sighed, "I believed I would never have to use this."
Zanyill pulled out an old and worn scroll. Opening the scroll he chanted shortly and the scroll turned to ash.
Travis was shocked! This was a spell scroll! The workings behind them were mysterious and ancient, very few were capable of creating one. Travis himself only used two in his past timeline. The powerful ones were rare and extraordinary, thus were kept as a trump card.
To think he would see one here!
A dot expanded rapidly in front of Zanyill, stopping at an oval shape with a black outline, pink swirling in the middle.
Travis asked aloud, "A portal?"
Zanyill nodded, "That Druid gave it to me as a gift to visit him. Never thought I would actually have to use it."
Zanyill went to step in the portal, but then paused and looked at Travis, "You- never mind, just keep an eye out yeah?"
Travis was unsure what that was supposed to mean, so he took it literally, "Alright."
The three went through the portal one at a time, along with Nana's tools.
Travis visioned swirled and blurred, his body felt strange and his senses grew confused. Suddenly it stopped, like a car slamming into a wall. He was thrown off by the strange feeling, nearly falling over his own feet.
Zanyill chuckled, "It's a little different than the newer versions right? Teleportation scrolls before were quite rare to find and incredibly expensive. The ones from the old Era are quite imperfect."
Travis coughed, even Flinnder's War Sight was not this disorienting! Thank goodness for new technology!
After gathering his bearings Travis examined his surroundings, a beautiful forest was evident from the start. Exotic plants covered the place. Travis noticed popular and rare materials in abundance. The sight only grew more marvelous as he continued. The plants harmonized together, blending together to make a thick covering of color over the landscape. A strange light pink mist covered the area, nearly invisible to the common-eye.
Movement was spotted to his side and he noticed an animal staring directly at him. Travis wondered aloud, "A Magia Elk?"
The Elk walked away upon hearing Travis' voice, seemingly satisfied with his reaction.
Nana whispered to him, "Try expanding your senses across the place."
Travis was unsure what they wanted from him, but he no longer focused with his eyes. Instead he took in his surroundings with all of his senses. The beautiful sound of nature filled his ears, the pleasant smell of the exotic flowers touched his nose, the air tasted sweet. Suddenly his vision changed slightly, and the forest looked several times more magnificent.
The plants moved slightly as a figure approached, "Oh? Who's this? They have taken a liking to you."
The figure then spotted Zanyill, and their attitude changed drastically, "Zanyill~! It's you! I knew you would appear!"
Zanyill twitched slightly but kept a calm demeanor, "Gartrid, it's a pleasure."
"The pleasure is mine~! I haven't seen you in forty years, six months, and five days!"
"You. . . counted the time?"
"I used to count the seconds, but I lost track thirty-five years ago. I'm sorry~"
"N-no, it's fine. I came to ask a favor of you."
"Oh~! My pleasure! What is it you need?"
"A Rose of Flowing Mist."
"No problem~! Are you sure though? I have a Rose of Seven Mists as well, along with some lesser variants!"
Zanyill pondered for a moment, "No, might be too potent."
Nana interrupted, "It's population is scarce outside, mind if I take some to repopulate?"
Gatrid made a disgusted face, "Tch, no one has respect for the plants anymore. Please, be my guest, they have quite the population in here. Speaking of which, why would you need it?"
Zanyill took a breath, "Well it's for this guy over here, allow me to introduce him. He's Travis, my disciple for now. I aim to teach him Mana control."
Gatrid looked over, "Is. . . that so?"
Gatrid waved a hand and a strange boar appeared, "Lucas will show you the way to the Roses of Flowing Mist."
Zanyill raised an eyebrow, "You're not coming along?"
"I wish to show your disciple the forest, he seems quite intrigued by it."
"Alright."
Zanyill was aware something was off, he could feel it. However he believed Gatrid was someone reasonable, and would not do anything too crazy. So he and Nana followed the boar through the forest.
Gatrid waited until they were out of sight until he spoke, "So, Travis was it?"
Travis had a strange feeling about the situation, "Yes, you are Gatrid right?"
"I am, Druid of Huntret's Wood. I keep the peace and balance in check, maintaining such a beautiful place."
"It is, I've never seen anything like it."
"Most likely due to the dwellers from above, they tend to not care for their surroundings."
Travis agreed, "Their greed destroyed a lot of nature, a shame truthfully."
Gatrid was pleasantly surprised at Travis' truthful agreement. However that did not change his opinion of them much.
Gatrid smiled, "Please, join me for a walk. I would like to give you a tour."
"Sounds great, lead the way then."
They began walking in the direction, Gatrid calmly explained the reasons for the sections of the forest. How he maintains its balance and beauty. He casually answered any of Travis' questions as they traveled.
Travis grew immersed in the Druid's explanations. Truthfully he was completely amazed at it. It was something completely new to him, it made him nostalgic of his past. The beginning of when he joined the game.
The forest began to thin as they came to a much larger tree. Gatrid patted one of its large roots, "This is what keeps everything alive, the Shining Tree. It's leaves mimic the sun, providing the needed energy to allow the plants to grow."
Travis looked up at it and asked, "How does it live, if itself does not have the sun?"
"A wonderful question, but it simply does not need energy from the sun. Much like many of the plants that live underground. However unlike those, it takes energy from the nearby plants."
"Like an economy of plants."
"I suppose you could consider it like that. The plants willingly give part of their energy, for they understand the only reason they are alive is due to it. The Shining Tree was once considered a weed, peril to any Druid. Until someone allowed it to fully grow. Its very existence allows us to keep underground forests, a main part to our legacy."
"This place is amazing, truly."
"I'm glad you think so."
Travis' senses went alert. He was in danger!
Wood surrounded him rapidly, covering his body tightly. Travis attempted to free himself with his strength, but found the wood to be far stronger than he expected.
He looked at Gatrid, "This is your doing."
Gatrid nodded, "Indeed, after all your an enemy."
"How?!"
"You took Zanyill away, he chose you to be his disciple?! Why not me?! I have spent decades trying to gain his approval, but you. . . You took it away!"
"I never took anything from you! You think he would make you his disciple after this?"
"That is why it will be an accident, you caught up in a plant after saying you wished to explore alone. Died from its poison. A shame, it seemed like you had talent."
"You wish to kill me?"
"Once you are gone I can become Zanyill's disciple! So I bid you farewell!"
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone