After resting for a short while, the three finally retraced their steps and departed the strange domain using the same method by which they had entered.

  Glenn did not forget to bring along the crimson greatsword, the shriveled lump of flesh, and the stone tablet. The tablet—once so maddening that a single glance could tear one’s eyes apart—had now lost its eldritch nature and felt no different from any mundane relic.

  Back on the forest floor, Gortaya hurried toward them. "The Forest Will said you might be in danger. How are you feeling? Are you hurt?"

  Glenn tossed his spoils onto the ground. "Almost. It was quite the close call."

  As he spoke, two points of light shot from his eyes, coalescing into the antlered man and the mysterious sorceress.

  "Spirit of the Forest, you've found yourself a remarkable ally," the antlered man said gravely. "We survived this ordeal thanks to him."

  He paused, as though listening to a voice only he could hear, then added solemnly, "Indeed... he is unlike any other. We owe him our lives."

  "Don’t make it sound like it was all me," Glenn replied modestly. "If things hadn’t gone wrong, we would’ve finished the job together long before."

  The antlered man seemed ready to argue but halted, listening again to the Forest Will. He then briefly recounted everything that had happened below.

  When he finished, the entire forest fell into a profound stillness. Glenn sensed a faint ripple of emotion—a subtle shift, but one that did not feel positive.

  Then Gortaya’s voice broke the quiet. "The Forest Will says it bears full responsibility for placing you in such danger. It wishes to offer its sincere apology."

  "Apologies are nice," Glenn sighed dramatically, "but compensation does a far better job of soothing a wounded heart. You do know how important that Moonstone was to me, right? One that pure doesn’t just appear twice."

  Everyone present knew exactly what he was doing—using humor to disperse the heavy atmosphere and soften the Forest Will’s guilt.

  And it worked perfectly. Tension melted from the air.

  "The Forest Will says not to worry," Gortaya said, sounding almost cheerful—reflecting the Will’s own mood. "You helped tremendously. It won’t let you suffer the slightest loss."

  "Good to hear." Glenn smiled lightly.

  At that moment, the mute sorceress stepped forward, exchanged a silent dialogue with the Forest Will, then nodded to each of the three before turning to leave.

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  "Wait," Glenn called out. She halted, eyes questioning.

  "I saved you using a curse," Glenn said. "It grants extraordinary magic resistance and remarkable vitality. I’m telling you now—this curse carries no negative effects. That is... if you trust me."

  She gazed at him quietly for a moment—then, for the first time, smiled faintly. With a final nod, she vanished.

  The antlered man spoke next. "She and I both believe you. From the moment you used your own body to shield us, we knew you were someone we could trust without reservation."

  "You’re going to make me blush," Glenn chuckled.

  The antlered man gave a rare smile, stepped back, and offered a strange bow. Straightening, he said,

  "If ever you require us—at any time—we will come to your aid with everything we have."

  Before Glenn could respond, he too disappeared.

  "Two very mysterious people..." Glenn muttered, turning to Gortaya.

  The elf girl blinked, puzzled, just about to ask why he was staring at her when the Forest Will spoke within her mind. She nodded in sudden understanding and relayed:

  "The Forest Will says your reward is ready. Please follow this powerful forest spirit to retrieve it."

  "I’m guessing it didn’t actually call you 'powerful.'"

  "You’re unbearable!"

  "Knew it."

  They walked only a short distance. Every blade of grass and branch gently parted to clear their path until they reached a small pond shimmering with shifting rainbow light.

  The air smelled faintly of fruity sweets.

  "Is the reward in the pond?" Glenn asked.

  Gortaya shook her head—she didn’t know either.

  Suddenly, the water began to boil. Bubbles surged upward in a furious froth. Then, from the heart of the pond, a massive bubble—about the size of a basketball—rose into the air. Its surface shimmered with prismatic colors, hiding whatever was inside.

  The pond calmed, and the bubble drifted slowly toward Glenn.

  He poked it lightly with a fingernail. It burst.

  Inside was a statue of a werewolf.

  The sculpture showed a wolfman seated in a curled, almost meditative posture atop a square pedestal. Its eyes were set with unknown crimson gemstones that glowed faintly. Staring at it, Glenn felt as though invisible hands were gently massaging his spirit.

  "What does this thing do?" Glenn turned the statue over in his hands, intrigued.

  Gortaya paused, receiving the Forest Will’s message, then explained:

  "This was once the primordial idol of an ancient god. When that god vanished, the statue ended up here. The Forest Will originally intended to give you the idol as it was. But when it sensed the Evil God’s remnants below, it had to spend more time altering the reward—since you faced far greater danger than expected.

  "If unaltered, you would have needed time to adapt to it. After that, keeping it close would grant immense mental fortitude and a faint trace of divine power. But now, after the Forest Will fully modified it, the statue is perfectly attuned to you—and its effects will be doubled."

  Glenn immediately understood the significance.

  Enhanced spiritual resilience meant greater resistance to mental collapse—and the capacity to withstand a far more powerful transformation.

  Unlike the Moonstone, which was a single-use lifeline, this statue was a permanent investment.

  And though the Forest Will never said so, Glenn knew the cost of reshaping the idol into this state must have been enormous.

  "This is more than enough to make up for my losses," Glenn said, deeply satisfied.

  Gortaya then added, "The Forest Will says the statue has only granted you a small boost for now. But the longer you keep it with you, the more your mental resilience will grow. It doesn’t even know how high your upper limit will become."