Fog invaded the forest.
Waves upon waves of the shifty mist rolled between tree trunks, nesting into the hidden cracks. It hung in the air, heavy like it was made with a myriad of tiny eyes. Sometimes humid, sometimes dry, the haze brushed upon the forest like a malevolent caress.
Occasional breaks of moonlight struck through the leaves, a lightening fast sliver of vision quickly overshadowed by the hungry swallowing of restless clouds.
It was the kind of night where a cold breeze sounded like a pack of predators, and a crunch of leaves sent critters hiding in the swallowing earth.
A night made for hunting, Ilrune thought, grinning.
"A grade three monster forest? Surely professor d'Este would've thought of better."
A fan closed sharply, the loud clack echoing across the forest.
... If only she wasn't here.
"Why, are you looking to push your limits?" Gisele taunted, leaning on her staff.
... I wish I was on a solo trip.
Ilrune sighed, discreetly rolling his eyes. Can't bring these two anywhere, by the deities. Why are they arguing again?
Standing next to him, Liu Xieping, with his hands shoved in his pocket, seemed indifferent to the rising argument.
Bastard. He's the one who begged me to come, but now he gets all stone-faced.
The other two male professors were further out front, exchanging short questions and awkward responses.
Those two aren't better... Ilrune grimaced. Do I really have to break up the argument?
He coughed loudly. "Ahem. My apologies, professors. Professor d'Este requested access to an intermediate forest due to my lack of skill in attack magic. As you know, I am but a botanist. I have little to no expertise in other types of magic."
"Hm." Fiorella shielded half of her face with her fan, and looked away as if she couldn't stand the sight of him.
"You..." Gisele gave him a strange look that Ilrune could only decipher as part confusion, part disbelief. "You are an independent botanist who doesn't know how to defend himself from monsters?"
"Yes." Ilrune lied, straight-faced.
From his peripheral vision, he could see Liu Xieping glance sideways towards the trees.
Is he laughing? Why don't you help me diffuse the situation instead of spectating, huh?
"I see." Gisele sounded skeptical.
As she fell into silence, Ilrune nudged the red-eyed mage. "A little help?"
"You seem to have it under control." Liu Xieping said with a straight face. "Mr I-don't-know-how-to-fight."
"Thanks a lot." Ilrune said dryly. "I appreciate the support."
Step. Step.
Slowly, the group divided.
Aurio stood alongside Gisele, while Fiorella spoke to Theodore.
Ilrune muttered to Liu Xieping. "How to did you put it? Ah, they've separated by faction."
The latter tilted his head and smiled. "That is the most likely result from this gathering. Subdivision into factions."
Even amongst factions, the relationships still aren't good.
Ilrune turned his head to look at Fiorella di Baux and Theodore d'Este.
Although not very expressive, Fiorella still seemed passionate about the subject at conversation as she waved her fan around, sometimes almost hitting Theodore. The latter gracefully dodged her hits, giving simple one word answers.
He's just nodding to whatever she's saying. I doubt any of that is actually entering his ears. This fellow seems to always be in his own thoughts. She's definitely the one pulling the strings in the Noblesse faction.
Then, he looked forward towards Aurio Ettore and Gisele who weren't walking too far ahead.
"Are you alright, Miss Gisele?"
"Mhm."
"What monster do you think we'll be seeing? I'm personally interested in finding a Whiteclaw rabbit."
"I don't know."
"Ah, well there are so many choices! It's only natural that you find yourself indecisive."
Ilrune sighed.
And... These two are hopeless.
Agh, I just can't get a read on Gisele. All corrupted humans have their own quirks, so it's normal that she's a little odd. She seems polite towards me, but she doesn't even deign her coworker worthy of speaking to. Is it because Professor Ettore is a noble and I am not?
And not to mention my own coworker. I thought he was a block of stone, but, earlier this week, he begged me to come buffer the gathering. I can't seem to get a read on his motives.
Glancing towards the red-eyed mage, Ilrune found that the man was, as always, poker-faced.
He flicked a silver coin towards Liu Xieping.
"Dame for your thoughts?"
The latter caught it effortlessly, and seemed to think over his words.
"Something's wrong with the forest tonight." Liu Xieping spoke quietly, as if he was afraid of spelling his doubt into reality.
Ilrune smiled, although it felt more like a grimace. Yeah something, like the chimeras I had Perseis release.
"Well, what could go wrong here? Except for me, everyone here is a skilled fighter."
"...You're still saying that?"
"What?"
"Monsters!"
A loud shout broke their muttered conversation, and both mages turned towards the source.
Ah, not the chimeras. What a shame. Ilrune relaxed, half-heartedly pulling out his wand.
A small gathering of deers lounged by a foggy clearing, gold staining their fur, like an angel's folded wings. One deer opened its eyes and molten starlight shone faintly in the dark forest.
"Praying Deers." Liu Xieping muttered. "In an intermediate forest?"
"Beats me." Ilrune shrugged.
Perhaps as an attempt to escape the awkwardness, Gisele launched into attack
[Of beauty and decay-]
Gisele's sweet voice gravely intoned a spell as she slammed her staff onto the wet ground.
[I pray for you- an exquisite end.]
Whoosh-
A wave of dusty purple mana swept through the monsters like a tidal wave.
One of the deers opened its mouth, and out came a shriek that wasn't quite animalistic.
Rather, it sounded like a strangled prayer, fallen from grace.
Huh? That spell... Well. At least it worked. Her mana cut the animals' own mana off in one shot.
... As expected from someone who teaches Applied Magic.
Theodore, perhaps afraid of being called an idler, shaped his mana into a sword and jumped straight into the ray of deer.
"Move!" Gisele shouted, gripping her staff tightly in her hands. "You're in the way!"
Deafened by some mysterious force, Theodore plunged his sword straight through a deer.
Drip. Drip.
Golden blood splattered— angel tears covered the clearing in their holy gleam.
"Surely, he can handle that much." Fiorella said derisively behind her fan. She had stepped further back in order to avoid the bloodshed, and was eyeing the fight with a look of distate.
Yeah, right. Since that spell depletes mana, he will be fine for a moment but will eventually suffer mana exhaustion.
"Madam di Baux, it really isn't that simple-"
"What is that?" Liu Xieping interrupted, alert. He stared straight into the treeline, opposite to where the deer were.
"What did you see?" Ilrune tried to follow his gaze, but the man was already gone, marching towards the edge of the clearing.
"Hey, let's not separate!" Aurio ran after Liu Xieping. "We need to stay as a group!"
"Pfft. As if these measly monsters could hurt us." Fiorella muttered.
What the hell is going on? Did he see the chimeras? Matter of a fact, where are those damn chimeras?
Ilrune looked from the duo fighting the deers to the duo investigating the forest, feeling lost.
"The deers are fleeing!"
As the Praying Deers realized that their ultimate ability was nulled by the human mages, the monsters quickly and wisely retreated into the forest.
Almost in a daze, Theodore and Gisele chased after it.
Ilrune gazed at their departing figures, grimacing.
... I really don't want to. After all, Professor Ettore said to not separate.
But someone's gotta bring those idiots back.
He glanced towards Fiorella, who was busy examining the sky with a bored face.
She sure as hell isn't going.
Agh... why me?
***
Following the two mages wasn't hard.
Gisele left a trail of dusty purple mana, and sharp marks burnt into trees showed Ilrune where exactly Theodore's mana sword ended up.
By the time he caught up, Theodore had stabbed his sword into the last deer, while Gisele leaned on her staff.
"You're here." she said, turning to look at Ilrune.
"You-" Ilrune sighed. "You do know we were not supposed to separate?"
"My apologies." Theodore d'Este said, grabbing the mana stone from the deer. "It's just... Praying Deers are rarely seen in intermediate forests. I was wondering why they would be here."
But you didn't have to chase it! You led me on a goose chase throughout this damn forest. Who knows how far we're from the others now... I thought this guy was passive, but he's combat obsessed? How could that be?
"Right." Ilrune said instead, pursing his lips.
Theodore, seemingly tone deaf, turned and started walking back.
"Let him do his thing." Gisele spoke up as Ilrune was about to chase after the black haired man.
"You're familiar with the way he acts?" Ilrune raised an eyebrow.
"I've been teaching for a while."
Right. I keep forgetting that they've taught here for maybe a couple years.
In the somber forest, her purple eyes seemed void of emotions and staring at her was like looking directly into the abyss.
Creepy... Ilrune resisted the urge to make a face, and turned his gaze away.
"You and Liu Xieping seem close."
"It just happened."
Faced with her doubtful stare, he could only shrug.
Sorry Gisele, I'm actually under the dean's orders. I don't have free will in this political game. You're better off talking to Boss Liu, as he's the one running this faction.
"Are you lying-"
An intense mana wave washed through the forest, stopping both of them on their tracks.
It was icy grey, and rested heavily on the barrier Ilrune instinctively spelled out.
What the hell? That came from upfront...
Whoosh.
Gisele rushed past him, running towards the source of the noise as she activated her staff.
"Wait!" he called after her to no avail as she only continued.
Well. Take two of the goose chase, let's go.
Ilrune, sighing to himself, brought out his wand and chased after Gisele.
This better be the chimeras. Any other random weird monster, I'll lose my mind.
[From the ashes rises-]
[The sunfire phoenix.]
Fire spell? Why does he need-
For a moment, all he saw was pure, intense, light burning bright in his eyelids.
It marked the shape of a half-circle.
Ilrune stopped in his tracks, raising a barrier to shield himself.
Fwoosh... Sizzle.
An intense heat wave passed by, burning the surrounding vegetation.
....
"What the hell was that?" Ilrune cursed.
Damn it, I forgot to use the Bernard Monet censor. ....Hopefully, they'll chalk it up to surprise.
Further upfront, he could see Gisele similarly shielded, and a large crater. On the other side stood Theodore d'Este, with a rare dumbfounded expression on his face.
"What's going on?" asked Gisele as she dispelled her barrier spell.
Theodore grimaced. "Thought I saw something."
Don't pursue a career in acting my friend. You have no talent. You 'thought' you 'saw' 'something'? My ass.
Ilrune raised an eyebrow.
Gisele also seemed unconvinced as she didn't immediately dismiss her staff. Instead, she kept it close to her body, guarded.
"How about you stick with us?" Ilrune suggested. "Next time you 'see' something, we'll take care of it together."
Theodore nodded, lost in thought.
With that, Ilrune took the lead, resuming the walk back to the clearing.
What did he see? Was it a chimera? By the deities, I have to stop him from blasting everything to shreds. If it's a chimera that showed up, that means we'll see more.
But in order to report an incident, there needs to be evidence— I can't just hand over a pile of ashes.
Ilrune felt dread crawl up his spine, and shuddered.
Don't tell me I paid Perseis extra for nothing...
Seriously. If something happens to the chimeras, I will faint. I'm not mentally ready.
Thankfully, luck was on his side.
Ilrune raised his hand, indicating to the other two to stop.
"What is it?" Gisele's voice was tense and somewhat tired.
"Something's wrong with the animals ahead of us." Ilrune said, suppressing a smile.
My chimeras! Well. Not mine, but the ones I had captured. Thank the deities.
He raised his wand, and recited an incantation.
[With fervor-ah?]
Ilrune subconsciously released an expression of surprise.
Something's wrong with the chimeras.
"What is going on?"
Gisele had also noticed that something seemed wrong.
The monster had scales for fur, and its face was an odd but coherent mix of wolf and snake. Indeed, it was as if it had been surgically stitched together and held with glue.
However, Ilrune recalled that the creatures were messy agglomerations when he first found them. Their organs were spilling out and the wolf-snake features held no sort of harmonious combination.
All of the others were equally deformed yet smoothly combined.
Ilrune released the fist he had been subconsciously clenching.
Who messed with my samples?
***
[Of beauty and decay-]
[I pray for you- an exquisite end.]
Gisele activated her mana draining spell while Theodore slashed at the chimeras with a mana sword.
"Two left," said the dark-haired mage. There was a taut edge to his voice and his brows knit tightly, creasing his forehead.
This is the most stressed he's sounded tonight. Well. If I had to fight seven unknown monsters, I'd too be affected.
Ilrune blinked, then his eyes widened as he registered another fact.
Shit! He's going to hack the last chimeras apart! I need one intact for examination!
[Follow the white dove-]
[Into the metal maws.]
Clang.
Chains formed from teal mana manifested around the remaining monsters.
Theodore who had been mid-action froze.
Slowly, he looked back, evident confusion on his face.
"We need at least one of them intact." Ilrune explained, grimacing.
Why do I feel like I've just taken a toy out of a child's hands...
Gisele shot a spark of purple mana towards one of the closer chimeras, striking it clean on impact.
"I'll take this one. Kill the other."
Ilrune raised an eyebrow as he dispelled his spell.
I've thought so before, but the way she casts spells... I only know a bit about the Dawn Tower's incantation rules, but it's not from that place. Did she learn that herself... or from the Dusk Tower?
Nevermind. I'll explore that later. Right now, I need to focus on the chimeras. Why did they mutate? Perseis clearly used holy water to neutralize their corrupted effects.
Pure holy water would kill the corruption upon impact, so we did a few tests and calculated the perfect ratio to keep the creatures from dying due to corruption.
Either diluted holy water isn't enough to hold back corruption anymore...
Or something in this forest is making them mutate.
Ilrune silently followed Gisele and Theodore back towards the initial clearing, still brewing in his dark thoughts.
Perseis clearly said that he dropped them off in a cage made with materials that would auto-dissolve in a matter of hours. Unless he purposefully leave the chimeras in a place predisposed for corruption, there's no telling what or who came by.
How would the alchemist know to come here? We didn't give any indication... Perhaps it followed the trail of corruption?
But shouldn't the holy water suppress that?
Unless my theory is wrong.
These are not the first chimeras.
... I need to find this alchemist's research lab.