There wasn’t much to prepare for his trip, apart from some food for the road and a blanket to sleep out.

He took the blanket Korin had given him and shoved it into his inventory. Then he walked to the barracks to request some travel rations. The man at the counter agreed and gave him three days’ worth of food.

Astaroth thanked him before heading to the old mage’s abode. Aberon was walking out of his home when Astaroth arrived at the front of the house.

He waited before the stairs, letting the man turn around. When Aberon turned around, he looked at Astaroth with a tired look.

“Do you know how much trouble you are putting me through, young man?” Aberon asked him.

“Trouble? What trouble, sir?” Astaroth asked, oblivious to what he meant.

*Sigh*

“I haven’t been to the capital in a long time. Too long.” Aberon said with a sigh.

Astaroth could see a look of longing mixed with a tinge of melancholy in his eyes. He really wanted to know more, but he knew better than to anger the man with his inquisitive questioning.

That didn’t stop him from staring at Aberon with burning curiosity. The mage could feel the stare even with his back to Astaroth.

“Don’t look at me for answers, young one, for they are not mine to give.” Aberon said, his tone final.

Astaroth couldn’t help but wonder who he would need to question for those answers, if not Aberon. After all, he was the one that hadn’t been there in so long.

They walked towards the village entrance, where a carriage was waiting. Weirdly, though, the carriage had no horses or bulls attached to it.

Astaroth could see the attachment in the front, where one would normally harness horses or bulls, but no animal was there.

He could see some of the village warriors loading some baggage on the back of the carriage. He recognized them as the first team he had patrolled with.

I’dril was leading the loading of the supplies, Korin and Aj’axx doing all the heavy lifting, while Chris was talking to Kloud to the side.

Astaroth walked to the two men with a quick gait.

“Kloud, Chris! Are you both coming on this trip?” He asked, almost enthusiastically.

“Bahahaha!” Chris bellowed.

“You don’t need the two strongest men in the kingdom to reach the capital, kid.” He added. Slapping Astaroth on the back.

“Only Chris is going.” Kloud said, gazing at the man sternly.

“I can’t reasonably leave the village without a high-level combatant, can I?” He added.

“But why is it Chris that’s coming, and not you?” Astaroth asked.

Again, Astaroth could see a look of melancholy flash in Kloud’s eyes, but it disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

“That’s… a story for another time, boy.” Kloud said, walking away with his back ramrod straight.

Once more, Astaroth was being devoured by curiosity as Kloud was walking away. A light smack behind his head brought him back to reality.

Chris was looking at him with a gentle smile.

“Be patient. He will open up to you someday.” He said, patting Astaroth’s shoulder.

Chris then turned around and walked to the carriage. He began helping to load it up.

Astaroth stood there for a few moments, wondering if everyone in this village knew something that they weren’t telling him.

He shook his head, throwing that thought away.

‘There is probably a good reason for keeping it from me.’ He thought.

He walked over to help prepare the carriage for the trip, still wondering where the creatures to pull it were.

It only took a few minutes to finish packing up, and then Astaroth turned to look at Aberon.

“I think we are ready. What now?” He asked the old man.

Aberon walked by him, not responding. He looked at Chris and Aj’axx.

“Pull the carriage outside.” He ordered, walking towards the village entrance.

Astaroth followed the old man, wondering what he was going to do. He hoped they wouldn’t have to pull the carriage themselves until they reached the capital.

After walking outside the barrier, the old man pulled something from his sleeve. It looked like a wooden whistle with some weird engravings on it.

He brought the object to his mouth and blew lightly in it. The melody that came out of the whistle was neither aggressive nor stressful.

Rather, it was quite delicate, like the sound of wind blowing through treetops. It whistled like the rustling of leaves and echoed the sound of hollow tree trunks.

Astaroth felt it was quite a relaxing sound, pleasing to the ear.

Nothing happened for a few moments after Aberon blew the whistle. The birds started scattering from the distant trees.

Astaroth couldn’t see what had caused this yet, but Genie, beside him, started growling. Her fur was standing‌ straight on her back like she was feeling the approach of a predator.

Astaroth bent down to pet her.

“What’s the matter, girl? Is something approaching that is scarring you?” He asked her, gently caressing her back to calm her.

“Her reaction is normal. You will understand soon enough.” Aberon said, moving forward a few steps.

He then pulled out a pouch from his robe and waited.

The wait was short-lived when two shadows darted out of the forest in front of them.

Astaroth’s heart almost stopped at the sight. His hair stood on his arms, in fear so primal he couldn’t control it.

In front of Aberon stood two stags of abnormal size. To call them giants was a step too far, but one could neither call their sizes normal.

Their bodies seemed coated in tree moss of vibrant green. Their antlers, made of intertwining branches, spread wide above their heads.

There were so many points to them that Astaroth gave up counting them. Their eyes were pitch black, reflecting every little detail around them.

Astaroth tried inspecting the creatures but only got names out of them.

Guardian of the Forest, Arborea:

Level: ???

Grade: Mythical

Guardian of the Forest, Teraria:

Level: ???

Grade: Mythical

Astaroth’s jaw dropped. Mythical creatures.

ƥαṇdαηθνε|

He locked eyes with one, Arborea, and his vision swam. Visions of leaves and trees, for miles and miles, filled his head.

It only lasted for a fleeting moment, before Chris jerked his head downwards, breaking eye contact.

“Don’t look them in the eyes.” Chris whispered, letting go of Astaroth’s head.

“You could have warned me beforehand.” Astaroth grumbled, keeping his line of sight low.

“YOU HAVE CALLED ON US, MAGE. SPEAK YOUR REQUEST.” A voice boomed all around them.

“I need safe passage across your forests to reach the capital of the Ash Elf kingdom.” Aberon replied, bowing low.

“YOU CALLED ON US, GUARDIANS, FOR SUCH A MENIAL REQUEST?” The voice boomed again, with an undertone of anger.

“I have. I know of the dangers roaming your lands, and which safe passage with my fellow men.” Aberon answered, keeping his body at a ninety-degree angle.

…

“PAY THE TRIBUTE.” The loud voice said.

Aberon lifted the pouch in his hand and emptied the content into his other.

In his hand now lay six acorns. They had a pristine shine to them, as if they had just fallen from a tree.

“Acorns, from the mother of the forest. One for each traveler.” Aberon said, stretching his hand forward.

The stag on the right, the one Astaroth had locked eyes with, Arborea, moved forward. It took the acorns out of Aberon’s hand.

A few moments passed in silence before the voice boomed again.

“THE TRIBUTE HAS BEEN PAID. MAY YOUR TRIP BE SAFE AND FORTUITOUS.”

Then the two stags turned around to leave. Arborea stopped turning for a slight moment, its eyes peering at Astaroth before it resumed its action and left.

As they left, four wooden stags the size of horses grew out of the ground.

“Harness them, boys!” Chris bellowed.

The train of events took Astaroth’s breath away.

‘What just happened?’ He thought.