Weryn finally collapsed onto the earth, now wet due to the intense storm that had begun.

The Demon ranked monster lay a few feet from him, a long gash running through his stomach. Its intestines poured out along with blood, thankfully for the rain, the sick scent could barely be smelled.

Congratulatory applause sounded, but it was accompanied with words that didn’t fit:

“Finally...”

“What took you so long?”

“He’s surprisingly weak.”

“I almost fell asleep.”

Weryn ignored them, rolling over onto his side. His clothing was muddied, everything was muddied. He had blood on him, and his body hurt.

Why had he agreed to come here?

Erebus stood up from the large log the four of them had been seated on. “That was a great waste of time. Let’s keep moving.”

His minions nodded.

“Indeed. We spent hours just watching. Magnificent plan, Lord Erebus,” Lilian complimented him.

Weryn made a pitiable sound. That was all he was to them? A way to waste time?

“Someone pick up Weryn,” Erebus said offhandedly as he started to walk away.

Vyne picked up the miserable child and tossed him over his shoulder like a sack. “As you wish.”

The quintet exited the clearing, leaving the nasty smelling corpse behind in their wake.

As they walked, the creatures of the forest watched them warily. The Demon rank Weryn had killed was hailed as one of the strongest in this forest, due to its incredible skill.

But a small, scrawny child had killed it!

The creatures weren’t idiots. They knew when something was dangerous. It would take more than a meager group or individuals to rid their forest of the possible contamination.

Slowly, the number tracking the quintet grew in size, they started to advance. Creeping cautiously towards the exploration group.

Erebus, having sensed their killing intent through a sense honed through hundreds of centuries, raised his hand in order to tell the others to stop their movement.

They had entered a huge, rectangular clearing.

“What is it, Lord Erebus?” Lilian asked. She pulled out her staff and it shifted into its true form. “Enemies?”

“Quite a sizeable amount, too.” Erebus’ face shifted into that of a leader. “Weryn is too weak to fight. Vyne, if any get near to him, deal with them swiftly. I’ll take away your toys if you fail.”

“Understood, My Lord.”

Tear raised her bow. “I cannot sense anything,” she said in a slightly confused tone. To her, the channel of the forest felt completely normal. Relaxing, almost. It washed over them, full of tranquility.

“It’s deceptive,” Erebus responded. “These creatures are surprisingly skilled...”

It was possible to manipulate a mana channel. Similar to manipulating an aura, however, it required complete unity among the living creatures.

Something not even the members of the Dragon Council could achieve. It required true harmony, and they were anything but harmonious.

That much was for sure.

“Here they come,” Erebus said while unsheathing his sword. Just as a horse-like creature with a lion’s face leaped out of the trees, Erebus cleanly sliced it in half.

Crimson liquid sprayed in the air and Erebus ignored it as he dismembered the next creature that came tearing out of the woods.

Soon enough, they were completely surrounded by a multitude of monsters only found in this area.

All of them at least Epic rank.

When a dead corpse would fall to the ground, it’d be replaced by another living body trampling over it.

The sound of Tear’s arrows cutting through the air could be heard as they hit their marks.

Vyne made sure that no animal got near Weryn with powerful swings of his sword that created a small gust of wind.

Rain continued to fall down in buckets. The of one blood on the ground ran and blended with the blood of another.

Lilian was not using her necromancy. Instead, she was utilizing water magic, seeing as the power would be amplified with the natural water coming down onto them.

“Just how many are there?” Tear complained there were so many dead bodies yet they kept coming.

This forest was like a gift that kept on giving.

Except, it wasn’t a gift. It was a curse.

“They’re rather protective of this land. Perhaps there is something important here?” Erebus said, the thought of some hidden treasure crawling its way into his mind.

“Perhaps,” Vyne responded while driving his sword into the skull of a humungous bear. “That would prove to be entertaining, wouldn’t it? Only if Lord Erebus is interested, of course.”

Erebus made a sound of agreement.

Just as he was about to land the killing blow on a rabbit with razor sharp teeth, all of the creatures that had been surrounding them backed away. They bent their bodies as if they were bowing.

“Oh my,” Tear said in surprise. She lowered her bow and glanced at Erebus for affirmation of her actions. He, too, had put away his weapon.

“What’s going on?” Lilian questioned.

“Silence,” Erebus commanded.

Galloping footsteps approached them. The creatures of the forest retreated into the shadows.

“What is it?” Tear said softly in a worried tone.

Erebus glared at her and she clamped her mouth shut. What was coming? She squinted her eyes and attempted to stare into the forest.

Soon enough, a majestic creature walked out of the forest. With its head held high and black eyes full of something that could only be described as the utmost confidence and arrogance.

It was a unipegasus.

Its hair was sleek and shiny. The color was white with a golden tint to it. The muscles of its massive body rippled with every step it took. The beautiful wings were folded neatly at its sides, the feathers dipped in a brilliant blue. The horn was at least a foot long, and its point looked especially dangerous.

Beings of the other realms.... why have you come to our forest? Why have you wreaked havoc upon us?

A voice whispered in all of their minds.

Weryn stared at the unipegasus, his mouth hanging open.

Tell me, what is it that you want? I am the Guardian of this forest... I will give what you need in order to protect our sanctuary.

“Hello, esteemed Guardian of the Forest,” Erebus spoke to the creature. “I apologize, we did not come in with intentions of harming your children.”

I have protected this land for centuries, I have seen many, I have heard even more lies. Tell me, what is it that you came here for?

“An adventure.”

Adventure... Such a thing. I have never experienced it. I have stood stagnant for many years. Tell me, what is your name? Where do you hail from? And again, what is it that I can give you?

“My name is The Fifth Dragon Erebus. I hail from the Dragon Continent, there is nothing better that you can give me other than entertainment.”

His subordinates plus Weryn, all looked at Erebus with shock. They had never seen him behave so cordially before.

An original dragon... one older than I. Welcome to our land, O Great One. Please, forgive my rudeness. How shall we serve you?

“As I said before,” Erebus smiled softly, “there is nothing better you can give me other than entertainment.”

The unipegasus tilted its head in thought. Amusement, hmm. I apologize, I do not indulge in such things. I’m afraid to say I do not know what would appease you.

“Then, what is it that you are truly protecting in this forest. Nameless creature, explain to me.”

I must apologize for a third time. My name vanished centuries ago, the title I bear has become it. As for what we are protecting, it is something that keeps the life in our forest. Our sacred stone.[\i]

“Similar to the [Stone of the Moon Goddess and Moon God]?” Erebus interrogated the old Guardian.

[i]That is a name I haven’t heard for quite some time. A shame the High Humans who protected a segment of our sacred stone were brutally murdered in such a way.

“A segment?”

Yes, what we are protecting here, O Great One, is the stone that provides all mana to the Lower Continent.