Frey and Leif looked around, confused by the sight of trees and grass and brush. No one was there, but I could see signs of movement and struggle all around us.
The two tamers with me were visibly worried, but if they saw what I saw, they would’ve been feeling far worse. They’d be terrified. They didn’t see the danger I knew was out there. Waiting to strike.
Did I die again? Have I been reincarnated in this hellish forest once more?
“W-what? Where is this?” Frey asked, gathering himself off of the forest floor. Leif was nearby, brushing fallen leaves and dirt off of her body.
“I don’t understand.” She said, picking some grass out of her leather armor. From how Leif flinched with each move of her hand, it was clear she was still fighting back a lot of pain. “Weren’t those buttons supposed to take us to the dungeon entrance?”
“Why are you asking me?”
“It’s your guild, not mine.”
“Hey, you’ve spent almost as much time pretending to be in the guild as I have actually in it. I just learned what escape buttons were like two days ago.”
We need to run. You can’t sit still in this forest without-
Bursting from behind a nearby tree, a monster of claws and feathers flew towards us. My mind flashed back to the Harrowhawk, swearing it was the monster that attacked us. But as I struck back and grabbed it in my mouth before it could hurt Frey, I saw it was just a Voracious Vulture, a monster I had seen circling me many times as a lost hatchling here.
Species - Voracious Vulture
Type - Sky > Air > Breeze
Rank - C
Level - 8
Tamer - N/A
Status - Normal
Skills - ??
I opened my mouth and watched as it flew away, frantically fleeing from me.
That’s right. I’m not the one who will be running here this time!
“What was that?!” Frey yelled.
With no way to explain to the two damaged, scared, and confused tamers, all I could do was stare intensely at Frey and Leif. I couldn’t show them the Map in my menu to indicate where we were, or the exact details of what had brought me here the first time. I simply showed as much confidence in my eyes as I could, and when I knew they understood, I slithered out of the clearing deeper into the woods. They followed close behind.
“Does that snake know where it’s going?” Leif whispered to Frey.
“I don’t know, but I trust him.” Frey said, pushing his way through the brush to follow me. “And he’s not just a snake. He’s my friend.”
Even after only a few steps deeper into the forest, we were attacked again by several other Voracious Vultures. They had been watching as the first of the flock struck, and now tried to overpower us with their numbers. But a swish of my tail and a few bites of my tearing fangs was enough to send them running.
I don’t know how we got here or why, but I do know one thing: this is my forest now.
* * * *
Leif and Frey both kept close to me, following as I navigated through the woods.
It’s like no time has passed, I thought, feeling as though each tree we walked by was one I had seen as a hatchling. The forest of death was as dangerous as I remembered. I had to pull Frey out of a few thorny bushes, and save him from an acid spewing butterfly that nearly melted his boots.
Frey felt like me as a hatchling: every step in the forest was a step closer to death.
Don’t worry, Frey. I’ll protect you. It’s what Meebur would want. Not that I feel super confident I know what my tamer wants right now…
Leif clearly had a lot more experience navigating the wilds. Though her steps weren’t the quietest, she moved with confidence through the brush. She was clearly accustomed to this kind of environment. However, she was making nearly as many mistakes as Frey. Being freed, from what I still assumed had been a forced taming, had drained her more than a journey across countries or camping in the wilds ever could. I was astonished by how weak she began to look. Her once bright blonde hair looked pale and lifeless, the injury to her hand was staining her bandages red as it opened back up, and even her skin was peeling and dry. It was frightening to see what damage being forced to obey another could do to a person. What life it could steal from them.
I felt as protective of Leif as I did of Frey. She wasn’t a member of our guild, but she was a person in need. Just as Meebur had cared for me when I was at my weakest as a hatchling, I would show Leif the same care and kindness. I’d make sure she and Frey got out of this forest alive. No matter what it took.
Recalling how a river had saved me in the forest once before, I guided us in the direction of running water. I could hear and smell it very easily, even through the dense forest. My senses were much stronger than when I was here as a hatchling. A lot of me was stronger than when I was that little black blob fleeing for my life.
As we got closer, those senses picked up a noise besides simply running water. It sounded like shouting and splashing. As though someone was in trouble within the river.
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I increased our pace, feeling immediate worry.
I don’t think we were the only ones sent here…
Frey and Leif followed me as close as they could, but traveling through the forest wasn’t easy for them. The woods were dense and nearly every bush and tree was covered in thorns or thistles. Everything in the forest of death was made to injure. There was no way to leave this place without hurting yourself. However, for the first time since wearing the bulk brace, I was happy I had it. If I had been teleported here as my full sized self, I would have been picking thorns out of my tail for weeks. But in my cute form, I could slither and slide around more easily, and I avoided most damage.
Once we arrived at the river, we saw the source of the noise.
It was Lucus.
And he was in the river, struggling to stay above the water’s surface. His monster, Kichi the Funky Frog, was nearby and frantically fighting against several enemies. It was difficult to see the monsters they fought against under the splashing water, but I knew immediately. The memory of carnivorous fish in the water came back to me instantly.
They nearly drowned me once before…but I’m not the same monster I was then.
Species - Pincer Pirhana
Type - Water > Fresh > River
Rank - D
Level - 5
Tamer - N/A
Status - Normal
Skills - ??
I couldn’t see Hodi and his Fiend Fox anywhere, but I thought he must be nearby. Hodi and Lucus were eliminated at the same time against Violet.
If the escape buttons are what brought us here, they should have arrived together. Like how Leif, Frey, and I did.
Just as I started fearing the worst for Hodi, I saw something odd on the other side of the river. A box made of stone. Since I had gained the same skill his fox used, I knew this was something made using
Lucus was in the river, barely keeping his head above the water. His small frog monster was fighting more enemies than it could handle. Yet, as goofy as that frog always seemed, it fought desperately to save his tamer’s life.
Using
“Help! Someone help us!” Lucus yelled out, as he was pulled in and out of the water by the piranha biting at his pants.
“What do we do?” Frey yelled out, looking around frantically.
But I knew exactly what had to be done. I gave Leif a stern look, hoping beyond hope that she understood the need to stay back and keep Frey, his egg, and herself safe. When she nodded at me, I dove into the river.
Everyone is getting out of this forest alive!
Though I had been a part of the Artemis Guild and this world for a relatively short time, I felt compelled to help. I was the monster of the guild leader. It was my responsibility to protect them. The pain Meebur had felt when he failed to protect all of his hatchlings back when I was reborn in this body…I didn’t want him to feel that pain again.
I could breathe underwater as the Withering Wyrm, so I was able to fight there nearly as effectively as I did on land. Under water, I bit the enemies with
Though I was able to keep most of the piranha busy in the river, in my cute form I couldn’t stop one from getting past me. I turned to see it move towards Lucus. Kichi tried to stop it, but after battling in the dungeon and for so long in the forest of death, he had no energy to keep up. Even one piranha was enough to knock the Funky Frog away.
Lucus is defenseless!
“No!” Lucus yelled out, trying to kick himself away and closer to shore. But he was moving much too slowly.
I tried to think of some skill to use to save him, but it was all happening too quickly. Just as the piranha’s mouth opened, ready to snap down with full strength on Lucus’ leg…a wall of stone sprouted from the river floor.
“S-stupid fish!” A voice yelled out from the river’s edge.
It was Hodi. He had actually stepped up to help Lucus.
“If anyone’s going to beat that loudmouth, it will be me!”
Hodi’s fox monster used its skill to raise walls of earth from the riverbed, both defending Lucus from the piranha, and also slamming against it in a powerful strike. Though the skill was intended to create walls and obstacles, Hodi and his monster were using it effectively to attack as well. They had clearly trained very hard together. They could have been contenders in the trial even if they hadn’t teamed up with “Lock”.
I hope Hodi realizes how good of a tamer he is. He doesn’t need tricks, and he doesn’t need to act cocky. He’s the real deal.
With Hodi and the Fiend Fox backing us up, Kichi and I defeated the rest of the piranha with ease. Once all of them were fleeing down the river, Hodi reached out a hand and Lucus grabbed it, needing help to get out of the water. Though very different people, in the forest of death there was no time to be rivals over petty things. Hodi pulled Lucus up and out of the river.
“Thanks…” Lucus said, out of breath as he lay down on the forest floor. Kichi jumped out of the water and lay next to his tamer.
“Shut up.” Hodi said and rolled his eyes. “I didn’t do it for you. I had to because-”
“Because you were awful in the trial? And also awful before the trial?” Lucus said.
“No! But…well, maybe a little. I teamed up with that weird person thinking it would get me to guild leader easily. But if it’s worth having-”
“It’s worth doing it the hard way.” Frey said, approaching his fellow new recruits.
“Exactly.” Hodi said, and folded his arms. “But don’t ever interrupt me again. Also, who are you?”
Leif’s eyes went a little wide as Lucus and Hodi turned to look at her. As they were both new to the guild, neither had been around to witness Leif’s string of failed challenges against Meebur. She stammered, trying to figure out how to explain her presence without admitting to being that “weird person” Hodi regretted working with.
“This is my friend. She’s here to help.” Frey answered for Leif, smiling over at her as she immediately started blushing.
“Some help. She looks even worse off than we are. Whatever…” Hodi began to pout, trying to maintain his tough exterior, but it quickly faded away as we chuckled at his expression.
“None of us are doing great. Are you two ok to travel, though?” Frey asked.
"Don't worry, I'll watch out for this troublemaker." Lucus said, slapping Hodi on the back as he stood up. “He’s a scaredy cat deep down, but a bit deeper is a good guy. I always knew it was there!”
“And I always knew you were as lame as can be. Floundering in the water? Not a good look.” Hodi said, scoffing at Lucus.
“I was only in there because I was trying to cross the river and rescue you! I seem to recall someone hiding in a box of dirt, too scared to even look at the forest.”
"S-shut up!" Hodi said, turning away from Lucus. "I was merely in retreat, trying to assess the situation-”
“Yeah, right.”
“I didn’t need your help then, and I don’t need it now! Who would want protection from some country bumpkin?"
"Bumpkin, eh? Where were your big city brains when you were cowering by the river? I could have sworn I heard you crying…"
"No! I-I told you, I was just figuring out the best angle to strike."
"Suuuuure."
Leif, Frey and I were already laughing to ourselves. Though the intensity of the trial and the unexpected arrival to this forest had hit them hard, it was good to know Hodi and Lucus were still themselves. It would have been odd to see them together without hearing an argument.
With Hodi watching out for his old rival Lucus, and vice versa, we made our way further into the woods together. There were still four other tamers I feared were lost in the forest of death. And knowing what I knew about this place, any one of them could be in mortal peril at this very moment.
We don’t have a moment to lose!