The Capital of Terra Humanum, Solvagdar

Duke Harrold Rosborg POV

Dropping the report I had finally received from Terra Silva, I let it fall from my shaking fingers. Unbelievable! With a scream, I smashed at my desk and snapped it into two, reflexively infusing myself with mana. Standing up from the splintering mess, I grabbed my face before kicking the chair away.

All of my investments, all of our plans, up in flames. That bastard should have had Harlheim in his grasp by now, starting his little kingdom. All we needed was a territory in Terra Sliva, a strategical point where we could accumulate enough of a force to take back what was ours. To hit them from two sides, to destroy the council.

“Ashbrun you fuckup!” I shouted at no one in particular, simply venting at the fact I’d used a small fortune for this plan yet had nothing to show for it. That storm two months ago was the turning point, the match that lit the flame of his failure. It was clear from the reports. He can toss the blame wherever he wants, but the truth of the matter was, it was his own incompetence.

Taking a deep breath, I glared at the guards who stood at my doors, trying to look anywhere but at me. With a snort, I narrowed my eyes, “Send word, I want Ashbrun’s head. I want his entire goddamned linage exterminated!” I screamed, spittle flying all over the guard who stiffly nodded, remaining steadfast, “Raid his manor! Take everything, then raze it to the ground. I want it done before Evergreen decides to dig deeper, do I make myself clear!?”

“Sir! Yes! Sir!” The guard saluted before rushing off. Glancing at the other one, I grimaced. Pointing at the door, I screamed, “Get the hell out of my office!”

“Sir!” He shouted before rushing away.

Slamming the door behind him, I walked to my sofa and leaned back, finally calming down enough to think clearly. As long as the evidence was handled properly, there should be no indication of our intentions or involvement, even Ashbrun didn’t know who financed him or why. A useless pawn indeed. Not all was lost yet, else they would have already demanded our heads by the Law of Nobility. We would already be at war had the Council gotten a whiff of our plans. Even though the doppelganger I’d procured for Ashbrun was dead, Evergreen lost all standing in Harlheim thanks to their little war. Harlheim was now no man’s land since Ashbrun was forced to flee and Evergreen’s forces returned to their little camp. It won’t be long before the Council appoints a new ruler for the region. A nice, obedient, lapdog.

Snorting, I picked the papers off the ground, staring at the information while feeling some genuine humor. A measly two months of so-called war, ridiculous. Not only did Ashbrun lose the necessary supply line to some wild animal and bandits, the bastard actually lost to a bunch of mercenaries!

Outnumbering them 5 to 1, and he loses. Glaring at the laughable excuses scribbled in the report, I felt my anger ignite again. An Ogre decimated an entire troop of 60 men? A single Azuran took 5 prisoners from right under their noses and then some?! Fighting against brainless animals and they lost!? And this line, the most hilarious one, a single Demon screwed all this up by destroying Ashbrun’s slave farm?!

Unable to read any further, I felt my fingers heat up as the report burst into white flames. Standing up, I stood in front of the window, gazing upon our gorgeous capital. The buildings stretching higher than any others, our prosperity shown in the magnificent view of the King’s palace. Most importantly, all non-humans lied where they belonged, in shackles. Taking a deep breath, I nodded.

It was time to speak to the King, it would appear we needed another way into Terra Silva and I had an idea or two. Glancing up above my shattered desk, I bowed to the holy symbol embroidered on our banner, standing proudly next to the crown. Terra Silva will return to its rightful owners and the heretics shall burn at the stake.

One month later, The Vidas Forest

Atkozott POV

"How convenient." I muttered, staring at the witch in wonder. Despite currently having absolutely none of my things here, not even my map, I knew she was the witch I was looking for. It was doubtful there were many necromancers under that same name.

She stopped celebrating as she looked at me with confusion. Grinning, I enjoyed seeing her eyes widen in shock as the metal groaned with my movement. Easily snapping the shackles and breaking the bindings, I grunted and landed on the floor, slightly unsteady on my feet. Eyeing the mirrors cautiously, I saw no indication of the enchantments activating.

I silently stared at the witch, moving my body to chase away the incredible stiffness that had settled in my bones, making me numb all over. The feline growled, jumping up from her lazy position and staring at me with caution, the indifference replaced by a clear threat. Grim put her arm out, stopping the beast before it did something stupid, like attack.

Keeping my eyes on them, I smirked apathetically as I pulled my tail out of the hole and stretched. My arms easily reached the ceiling with my new height as I extend them. Only now did I realize how much taller I was, my face even gaining some maturity to it. The witch barely reached my chest, forcing me to stare down at her. The cat, on the other hand, definitely reached my chest. It really was a huge creature.

Finally able to stretch my previously squished wings, I couldn’t help but groan at the slight ache and pleasure it brought soon after. They couldn’t spread to their full length in this small room, damaging some of the mirrors with their sharp tips. The witch cringed from the awful sound I created by scraping them across the mirror's surface.

Taking a closer look now, they didn’t look thin or delicate. In fact, they were like pure muscle, intimidating. I felt incredible power hiding within them. I couldn’t wait to learn how to use them, to incorporate them into my fighting style. Though it might prove a bit difficult. The sound of my bones groaning under the pressure filled the room. It felt great to finally move again and without the agony that used to reside in every nook and cranny of my body. How long was I even out?

I wondered to myself as I heard a shameless snicker and glanced at the witch.

She was giggling like an idiot, covering her eyes but still peeking from between her fingers, making me roll my eyes. Another good question was, why was I naked? For an old hag, she certainly looked youthful and lively, hopefully she wasn’t like that nutjob Aldo.

Her eye twitched, "Why do I have the feeling you're thinking about something annoying?” Suddenly she seemed to have woken up from her earlier daze as realization set in, yet she still showed no concern for the fact I’d broken her restraints.

Furrowing her brow, her eyes suddenly darkened with suspicion, "What do you mean convenient? Usually, all living creatures stay away from my territory and know the consequence. Yet you were napping so soundly right in the middle of it, looking like you’d crawled straight from the pits of hell.” With a snort, she crossed her arms, “You are lucky to be alive. When Ris brought you to me, I thought you were just a mangled corpse. Imagine my surprise when I learned someone in that condition was still alive and slowly healing! Now you say this is convenient. I want answers, now.”

I’m sure anyone else would have been severely intimidated by this scarred princess, but it merely made me grin, “What a coincidence! I have some questions too, like, how long have I been strapped there? Why am I naked and why the hell did you restrain me here for that long in the first place?”

She crossed her arms and arrogantly glared at me, “Around a month or so, maybe more, I lose track of time easily. You’re naked because I found you in scraps and so filthy, you could have been a mud puddle. As for why I restrained you.” She tilted her head with a scowl, “It’s obvious, I don’t know who you are or what you’re capable of. Seeing as you aren’t acting like a savage and trying to murder me, I don’t particularly care anymore. Though, I am curious, who are you?” She said with a shrug, her eyes quickly becoming pure frost. Not caring that I was still naked, I smirked, "I’m Atkozott and finding you was next on my to-do list. How interesting that you were the one who found me. Usually, I’d be murdering you right now, but not only am I in a great mood, I also need your help.”

Her eyes widened in surprise, "What!? How is that possible? I've been isolated in this forest for nearly 500 years. The last visitor that walked into this forest, and lived to tell about it, came nearly 200 years ago and we did not part on good terms." She hissed bitterly before sighing, “I know for a fact you can’t be one of them, so who sent you here?” With narrowed eyes, she glared while keeping her cat at bay, some of my words completely going over her head.

I almost choked when she said her age. I could smell that she wasn’t completely human, there was a strong demonic scent coming off her. A mixed breed. Although her human traits seemed to be more dominant, I could tell she was definitely part demon. Over 500 years old, huh?

She took out a blanket from her enchanted pouch and tossed it to me. Catching it, I snorted, "Don't tell me an old woman like you is shy in the presence of a naked man?"

She rolled her eyes at my teasing, but I could see her ears turn red in embarrassment as she muttered through gritted teeth, “Who. Sent. You.” I chuckle and tie the blanket around my waist as I casually flick my tongue out, “Aldo.” My whole body shuddered slightly from the sudden assault of tastes. I guess that was new too. What's more, the air in here tasted vile.

Her body seemed to tremble at the sound of his name as her wide eyes filled with clear fury, “You saw that cunt!? Where is he?! Where is that bastard hiding?!” She shrieked, making me flinch at the sound, “Keep it down woman!” I snarled in irritation, “I know he took your grimoire. In fact, he gave it to me, to give to you as a peace offering. Unfortunately, it was left with the rest of my things back in Harlheim.” I grumbled.

Her brow furrowed in confusion, “Harl what?”

Rolling my eyes, I sighed, “A city. He said you and I shared the same affinities in mana and that you could teach me how to use it. Unfortunately, the only lead he gave me on finding you was a town that had been wiped of the map.” Seemingly lost in thought, Grim began pacing while biting her nails. Flicking my tongue again, I cringed at the taste and noticed it was coming from her.

Curious, I wanted to get a better scent. Using a bit too much force in my first step, I tripped, accidentally launching myself into a mirror. Cursing, the loud sound of crashing glass fell around me as the cat snarled viciously. Startled, Grim quickly stood back and leaned against the mirror in shock. Honestly, Aldo was clearly exaggerating about how fearsome she was. Regaining my footing, I saw the witch open her mouth, “Ris, stop!” However, the cat didn’t listen this time and pounced.

With a growl, I turned towards the beast and braced my legs. Lifting an arm, it was easy stopping the cat’s bite mid-air. I could feel the large fangs prickle my armored arm, but they could only scrape against the hard skin as they failed to do much of anything. Once it lashed out with a clawed paw, I used my free arm to shield my side before kicking the cat away with enough force to fling it across the room and shattering another mirror in the process.

The furious feline fell to the floor, but surprisingly stood back up on wobbly feet, glaring at me. Even though I didn’t use my full strength, it wasn’t mediocre either. Ris was obviously a very tough creature. Just as the tiger prepared to jump back and attack again, Grim shouted, “Enough!”

With those words, I saw her eyes glow red as the remaining mirrors shone brightly. I could tell she was triggering the enchantments, making me narrow my eyes in threat, “If you activate those, I promise, I won’t just forget it this time. Your cat is the one who attacked, reel it in.” I said calmly. Though I didn’t want to kill her unless necessary, I wouldn’t hesitate to deliver on my promise.

She stilled and glared at me. My eyes widened in shock when I could practically taste the bloodlust in the air. It was so thick, so heavy, I felt like my own was subpar. This woman must have had a river of blood on her hands. How many would you need to kill to have such heavy bloodlust?

As the red light receded from her eyes, I dusted off the glass shards clinging to the blanket. Still wishing to feed my curiosity, I leaned closer and flicked my tongue out before sniffing lightly. My eyes widened in surprise, "You’re really odd. You smell like caramels, but the air around you tastes so rotten and vile.” Since I was close enough, I finally noticed another little detail about her. She had two small stubs on top of her head, concealed by her hair. It would seem she had horns, once.

She blinked at me in frustration and threw her hands up, “Don’t piss me off or I really will show you what it means to anger a necromancer! Come on.” Grim grunted before heading up the stairs, the cat in tow still eyeing me in dissatisfaction.

Raising a brow, I snorted and followed, "I get it now. This cat isn’t just a pet. You might be a powerful mage, but your body is just like a human, maybe a bit stronger thanks to your demonic blood. That's why you need that familiar to protect you, right?"

She faltered in her step but kept walking, "You're sharper than I gave you credit for, but you are only half right. Seeing that you already had the chance to kill me many times over, I chose not to act too rashly against you. Not to mention, I’ve shown my goodwill by not murdering you the moment I brought you into my home. No point in being hostile now.” With a calm voice, I saw her glance at me, “You wish to learn magic, huh?”

"Yes." Silence greeted my answer as we finally reached the top. I could hear her opening a latch and exit up through a floor door. I look around curiously at the cabin as she sighed, “I’ll go check if there’s some clothes that will fit you, then we can talk.”

She left, but the tigress sat right next to me, apparently keeping a close eye on me. Deciding on ignoring her for now, I looked at the large, but homey cabin. There was a small fireplace on the west side of the room, with a brown couch made of beast fur in front of it. A small table with a single chair stood in the corner and the kitchen was small and simple. Shelves lined with books and trinkets decorated the walls. Odd items radiating mana stood around while a large wooden trunk laid in front of a single bed.

Staring at a creepy mask with colorful feathers sticking on the sides and ugly protruding teeth, I couldn’t help but cringe a bit. Why the hell would anyone hang that thing on their wall? Not only did it scream cursed, it almost felt alive the more I stared into the empty sockets.

Hearing light footsteps, I snapped out of it and turned my attention to the witch who was carrying something in her hands. Handing me the clothes, she wrinkled her nose, "Ugh... This was the only thing I could find that would fit you. I’ll give you some privacy, don’t touch anything." She turned on her heel and left through the front door with her tiger.

Frowning, I eyed the leather vest and pants that she gave me, crude but the material seemed elastic and durable. I reluctantly put on the clothes that still felt a bit tight. I heard a loud ripping sound as the wings and spikes tore holes on the back of the vest, rendering it useless. Though I did manage to make a hole in the pants for my tail, the vest was scrap leather now.

It would appear I’ll need enchanted clothes. Glancing at my wings, I grimaced. Maybe a spatial enchantment would do the trick. Those will stand out too much if I ever go in public. I couldn’t help but chuckle lightly at the fact that I resembled a barbarian in this silly getup. Thankfully, the boots she brought were an okay fit.

Sighing, I exit through the front door to look for the witch. The moonlit night felt nice against my skin, the clearing this cabin was located in allowed the light to shine in. Huge pine trees surrounded the clearing, the foliage thick and thorny with many fungi prospering near the dirt.

I saw Grim sitting on a small patio, making weird gestures at the tiger. I noticed there was some stacked wood placed next to the cabin while a decent garden stood on the side, some small fruit trees and vegetables being grown. A well was right next to the simple patio that had a straw roof and modest table and benches on each side. A small campfire gave a pleasant atmosphere as some small animal was being cooked above the flames.

After silently observing the witch and her familiar, I grinned, "So? Are you two done chatting?"

Without looking back, she answered absentmindedly, "Yeah... Huh? Wait?! I mean, what are you talking about?" She muttered with a flustered face.

Walking over, I took a seat opposite her, flinching at the creak the wood produced at my increased weight. Tilting my head, I carefully watched her reactions as I slowly spoke, "I don't recall hearing that there was a mental connection created by contracts, they always said it was verbal. Interesting."

Grim was at a loss for words as she stared at me with a blank expression. After a second, she cleared her throat, "Alright, listen up! I'll agree to become your teacher but only if you do something for me and agree to a condition I set!”

I’ve always known nothing comes free, however, something about her extremely fast agreement made me understand something, “I see. I’m guessing this is also the reason you’ve been so hospitable.” I said with deep sarcasm, glaring at her with narrow eyes. Whatever she wanted from me, she planned to ask for it way before I even woke up, she planned for this. This. This was the whole reason why she’s been so cordial with me.

For once, she didn’t act flustered but gave a small grin instead, “You catch on.”

Snorting, I eyed her carefully, “What does the great necromancer Grim want that she cannot achieve on her own? Where is that amazing collection you mentioned? Your army of undead I’m guessing.” I probed, curious to learn more about her. She was intriguing to say the least. The scars on her skin spoke of a harrowing past. The look in her eyes hinted at something truly dark yet well concealed beneath the surface. That bloodlust that nearly brought me to my knees, far and beyond even Evergreen’s. After a bit of contemplation, I finally understood what it was that made me want to learn from her. As if I could sense it once I looked deeper. The hatred that was deeply rooted in that bloodlust, in those eyes.

Recalling the events in the dark nothingness, the experience still fresh on my mind, I couldn’t help but stare at this mysterious woman with a fresh set of eyes.

Suddenly realizing she was waving her hands in front of my face, I snapped out of my daze and glanced at her, “Helloooo!” She frowned, “As I was saying, look around you.” She gestured, “Do you see an army of dead? I understand you cannot hope to gain something before giving first so I will tell you now. This place is all I have to my name.” A self-mocking smile found its way to her face, “What collection? I don’t even have my grimoire anymore. Na-da. You have no idea how much something like that can cripple someone like me. Do you think I have all those rituals in my head? I might be smart, but even a genius couldn’t remember all that. One wrong line or symbol and you have a calamity on your hands.”

With a bitter smile, she took a jug that was on the table and poured herself a glass of clear but strong smelling liquid, downing it in one gulp before offering me some. Shaking my head, I sighed, “So? What do you want and what is that condition of yours?”

After downing another glass, she smiled mischievously, "I will only tell you the condition after you handle my problem first." I flicked my tongue out in annoyance and cringed from tasting the vile taste of her scent again. Shit, I needed to get used to that.

"Then how about a compromise? You teach me some spells or whatnot right now, then I’ll solve your problem and we can see from there.” I grin in expectation, not wanting to get roped into something until I at least knew she could teach me something useful. If what she has to offer is good enough, I wouldn’t mind paying her by doing her a favor. I’d be much more worried if she asked for nothing. She expressionlessly stared at me, but I saw her eyes flicker to the tiger again. At this point, I was sure they were somehow communicating and that the tiger was by no means stupid. She would not refuse this compromise. She needed me more than I needed her. I can live without learning magic for now, but she obviously can’t solve her problem on her own.

After thinking for a while, she looks at me cautiously and groans, “Fine! We have an agreement! I will teach you a spell or two and give you the basics but you better be true to your word!” She said with gritted teeth.

I tilt my head in humor, "You wouldn't break that deal if it wasn't in your favor, would you? I might be asking you to teach me magic, but I can't just blindly agree to your conditions. It's simple, if I agree to yours you'll agree to mine."

She scowled at me in anger, but I could see a bit of confusion on her face, "Who do you take me for?! I would never break my word!” Taking a deep breath, she clapped her hands together, “No time like the present then! Listen and listen closely. What I need from you needs to be done as soon as possible so I cannot teach you the whole theory in only one night.” She rummaged through her bag and pulled out an uneven yet perfectly transparent crystal, “This is an All-stone, used to measure affinity. Though I’m guessing since you came to me you have affinity for darkness, I still need to know the degree. Careful not to break it, it’s the only one I have.” She said and handed it to me.

Looking it over, I furrowed my brow, unsure what to do with it. She rolled her eyes, “Infuse mana into it.” Sighing, I did as she instructed and watched with some marvel as the transparent crystal began filling up with dark, purplish miasma. As it filled up, the miasma suddenly split apart into two sides, one a pitch black color while the other one shimmered between violet and red.

Grim’s eyes widened as she grabbed it from my hands and gaped, “You have dual affinity! Though your affinity for darkness is nearly over 50%, your fire affinity is close behind, only a little less, maybe 40%. But they actually merged!” She gulped and stared at me with shining eyes, “Your mana capacity is highly sufficient as well.”

I already knew about the dual affinity, it was made clear on the day my mana gland matured. However, I didn’t understand what those percentages meant, “What does that percentage mean?” I asked with some interest. She nodded and put away the crystal, “Once your mana gland matures, it is either at 100% capacity or crippled. There is no in-between. This capacity holds all elements but only one or two are more prominent. You have around 50% darkness affinity and around 40% fire affinity, which is very high. The rest of your capacity are other elements and since they didn’t show up in the All-stone, it means they are meager. Take for example this, you learn the theory of water magic to perfection yet are only capable of making a puddle because your highest affinity is wind.”

She stopped for a moment and continued, “Do you understand? You can use all the elements as long as you know the theory, but if your affinity is insufficient, you will never go beyond a small gust of wind, a puddle of water, a tiny ember or a spark of light. This is why mages dedicate themselves to their strongest element.”

Though I did read about magic before, her words were simple yet enlightening. I had no idea that was how it worked, “So what is the average?”

“A regular mage with a single affinity has around 70%. Having 40% in a single element is usually good enough to become a decent mage. Dual mages are similar to you, give or take.” She said while munching on a grape. I couldn’t help but grimace, “Shouldn’t single affinity mages be stronger then?”

She grinned, “Of course not. They can become the masters of one element but cannot combine them, not easily anyway. This is a lesson for another time, after you’ve solved my issue.” I snort, “You really are in a hurry.” She nodded, “Yes! That is why I will now teach you how to use your mana properly and then you can be on your way.”

I scowled but didn’t manage to cut in as she continued, “This is in fact really simple. Your mana is already seeped by the elements, all you have to do is extract and visualize. Watch.”

She stood up and shook hear hands as if to warm up, “First you extract, channel your mana where you want it and visualize what it is. Darkness.” Her hands suddenly filled up with dark miasmic mist, writhing in the palms of her hands, “Now you have to understand that darkness cannot thrive where there is light, so you focus on the dark and channel.”

I watched without blinking as the mist moved from her arms to her legs before she suddenly began sinking into her own shadow. Recognizing what she was doing, I remembered the Azuran I had fought. This was what he was doing, “Then you simply visualize, connect one darkness with the other and become a part of it.” With those words, she completely vanished before suddenly coming out behind me and grinning, “You try.”

“You’re kidding.” I mutter, “You really think I can master it that quickly?” Her eyes narrowed, “The reason I’m teaching you this is because of its simplicity. Once you’ve managed it the first time, the rest becomes easy. For something like this, theory is irrelevant because you already know enough.” Feeling skeptical, I stood and focused on my mana, channeling it into my legs.

“No, no, no! You’re trying to run before you’ve even learned walking. Do it as I did it!” She shouted sternly. Listening to her, I let the flow return to normal before doing as she said, “Good, good. Now visualize the element, the darkness within you.” Doing as she said, I thought of the darkest place I knew, that empty void.

“Now channel.” She muttered calmly as if to not break my concentration. I could feel the cold mana flow downward to my legs, “Open your eyes Atkozott, otherwise you will not be able to see where you’re going.” She said with some humor. Not caring about her teasing, I opened my eyes and focused on my own shadow created by the fire and moonlight.

I sunk faster than she did, almost freefalling down before suddenly tumbling out of the dark bushes I wanted to exit from, “What the hell?!” I shouted. She giggled and clapped, “Congratulations! All you have to do now is control it better and once I’ve taught you the full theory of darkness, it will be like breathing. On to the next one!”

Sitting on the grass, I gaped at the woman who seemed to want this done as soon as possible, “What?” Ignoring my annoyance, she pointed a finger at me, “Now that you know how to do that, this should be simpler.” She put out her hand and the darkness once again manifested in her palm, “All you have to do is add the element of fire to the darkness.” As she said that, the darkness suddenly began gleaming with pale, white frost. Small snowflakes fell from her palm and onto the grass, freezing the small strands almost instantly before corrosion made it sizzle and turn pitch black.

My eyes widened, “You have dual affinity as well?”

She gave a cheeky grin and stopped her magic. Doing as she said, I channeled my mana into my palm, shocked at how much easier it was the second time around, “Doesn’t magic need chanting?” I asked with some bafflement. She lifted a brow, “Only if you want it to be more powerful, though some spells really do require it. It helps to put things into focus, like a mental crutch. Now concentrate.”

Right. Fire. What should I visualize though? I felt like a simple campfire was a bit weak. Glancing up, I saw the moon as my eyes widened with an idea. I visualized the sun, that flaming surface that threatened to purge everything in its path. Staring at the dark mist gathered in the palm of my hand, a gleaming spark suddenly came to life before growing like a wild fire.

Staring in awe, I watched the dark flames dance. The slightly violet core flickered dangerously as Grim tossed a log of wood my way. Catching it, I applied the flames but the reaction was almost nothing like fire meeting wood. The surface almost bubbled, hissing as the corrosive flame ate through it faster than any normal fire should. One problem occurred, I didn’t know how to stop it. Even though I stopped channeling mana, the flames on the wood remained.

“It’s your mana, control it.” Grim said casually, “Take it back.” Listening to her, I focused on the flame and felt a connection. Obeying its master, the flames gently disappeared, leaving a charred twig from what was a small log.

“I believe that is enough?” She said, some desperation present in her eyes. Sighing, I knew that if this was just the basic stuff, the things she could teach me were invaluable, “Alright, let’s hear it.” I grumble, tossing the twig into the campfire.

She took a deep breath, "There is an old hive of Voidhal Insects a few kilometers from this place. I want you to kill the hive Queen by sunrise and bring me an object. It is not a large hive, but it is extremely dangerous. Inside, you'll find a Void crystal. This crystal is something a Voidhal Queen can produce only once in her lifetime, therefore, it's something extremely valuable to the hive and most likely located in the center of it."

She dived straight to the heart of the matter, clearly needing that crystal for something, "Alright, but why do you need the crystal? I mean, what is it used for if it's so valuable and what are these insects like?" I felt curious, as well as interested in these bugs that even an old necromancer couldn't subdue.

She gave me a mysterious smile, "I'm not telling. I'll tell you once you become my official student, but for now you don't need to know. As for what the bugs are like, they are fast and use their initiate ability to travel through the void, similar to us but much more effective. The poison is quite dangerous so be mindful of their claws and teeth. You will see for yourself. Come now, I'll take you to the hive."

I shook my head and followed her as she mounted the tiger. We ran through the forest with a steady pace.