The results of the experiment were quite unexpected.

For starters, the thorough observation of the process actually revealed that the two wolf pups were in fact, still pups.

This genetic experiment has left the little changeling stumped. The two pups were now much larger than regular wolves, and yet the biological dating in their genetic blueprint indicates that they are still within the very early stages of their development.

Looking towards the two adult-looking pups; one white and one black, it wondered if there were still any unknown genetic factors they were hiding. Did they come to possess new abilities that went under its observation?

It didn’t doubt that they would still be wolves when they grow up, but it couldn’t help but think they would look like something else entirely.

It was no scientist when it came to understanding biological entities, but there were things it innately knew about the development and evolution of creatures. Such was its design.

And yet, the resulting two pups before it was another complete anomaly.

It was pulling at its hairs and knocking its head on the walls and floor in frustration. It couldn’t help but feel this way since it couldn’t understand why it didn’t have the same fine control over genetic manipulation as it once did.

It’s like being proficient at growing a simple herb that is good for small remedies, but just a small adjustment and somehow it grows into a massive tree that bears fruits with unknown characteristics or properties. It was maddening.

Seeing its antics, the wolf pups rolled around in response thinking that it was playing a game with them.

The little morphling let out a resigned breath. There was one thing in its mind that was suspect as the perpetrator of such foul machinations in its handiwork. The accursed mysterious energy known as mana.

Somehow, everything it has encountered as strange, unexplainable, and at times even downright impossible is in some way related to mana.

It was such an abstract and formless kind of energy that the changeling continually failed to directly interact with it in any way it tried.

The only time it was ever able to interact with it, was through emotion. The time when it was angered, a sudden surge of the energy welled up from somewhere within it and coursed through its entire body.

The effects gave it heightened senses, superior speeds of mental processing, and unmeasurable strength and stamina.

It believed that it isn’t an exaggeration to think that it might have even lost against that black monstrosity if it wasn’t boosted by mana.

That is why even though it’s infuriating to try and understand the workings of mana, it needed to find a way to do so.

It had two clues on how to go about this. First, the most likely key to it, is emotion.

Emotion was still an abstract concept for it since in the first place, it believed it wasn’t originally designed to possess emotion.

There were locks in place within its biological programming to prevent unknown variables that would make it diverge from its original purpose.

But some of those locks have been released, most likely thanks to that mysterious creature it made its anchor.

Along with the new knowledge and powers it gained, it now had a vague understanding of what are emotions.

Though still alien to the experience, it believed that by studying and observing other sentient and civilized bioforms, it would gain a better understanding of its emotions.

Which brings it to its second clue. If it couldn’t figure out a way to do it itself, even when absorbing creatures with such knowledge, then the likely answer is the same with emotions; it would study and observe.

It thought back to the horned bipedal creatures known as Kaijin and the one that interacted with it, a Human.

It felt a strange sense of longing when it saw the humans, but it associated this feeling with the likelihood that it’s due to its original creators being human.

With its new knowledge, however, it understood it was somewhere far from its creators and where it was originally born.

It didn’t know if it was left here to fulfill its purpose due to the great number of creatures and bioforms, but if it wanted to find out, its only clue would be the remains of its container; not that it possesses a means to currently find it.

Going back to the kaijin and the humans, it believed that its previous actions made it favorable towards them and hopes that they would let it learn their methods of manipulating mana, but it unfortunately doesn’t know where it currently is; let alone the settlements where they lived.

That was why its first objective is to create a foothold in this region and scout the entire area. If it could map out the region then it should be able to determine how it came to be here and find its way back.

It called the two pups with a bark and they happily listened and sat before it, awaiting its next command.

For the first time, it was going on an adventure with the two "little" ones.

***

“W-What do we do now?”

His expression pale and his hands trembling, the halfling wanted to be sure if he wasn’t the only one who wanted to go back.

“What can we do, Orsley? This is beyond us now.” Delleen sighed in resignation. “If it were any other Outrealm disturbance, we could maybe hold off on it, but this… this is Niskari.”

Gern scrunched his brows as he growled. “Then so be it.” With clear frustration in his voice, he gripped his sword tighter as he made to stomp on ahead. “I dunno about you three, but I’m scoutin’ ahead ta see ow’ bad it is. I ain’t sittin my arse here and wait for another Fort Gubrik ta ‘appen.”

“As much as it pains me…” Hox, the tall lanky mage, pinched his brows as he sighed and spoke as if to convince himself of the cause. “I’m with Gern on this one. It’s the responsibility of anyone of the Guild to determine how bad a Niskari infestation is once discovered. As a mage, I’m the only one who can do a proper readout of the range of corruption.”

Orsley and Delleen looked to each other with determination then nodded towards Hox and Gern.

Just as the four of them were about to set out, six figures suddenly appeared from the woods and encircled them.

These beings were at least six feet high and their form appeared humanoid. However, their bodies had a skeletal-like appearance that seemed to be made of wood.

The wood of their bodies glowed in hues of green, yellow, and orange; the area above their abdomen having the most intense glow.

Their hands were large and had long gnarled fingers curved like hooked claws.

From their shoulders to their heads, sharp branches crookedly spiked upwards with the largest on their scalp looking similar to antlers.

And lastly, they possessed the faces of men and beasts appearing carved on their countenance.

Surprised by their sudden appearance, the four of them stood back-to-back as they faced the entities before them. They stared warily at the six figures that remained still yet continuing to surround the party of four.

“Uh, Hox, w-what are they?” asked Orsley, anxiety and fear lacing his words.

Hox narrowed his sight at them for a moment before his eyes widened. “I think… they’re Fae.”

“Fae? These creatures? I’ve never seen or heard of Fae like these before.” voiced Orsley as he kept his eyes locked on two particular ones seemingly made of thorny bark.

“From what I recall… these Fae seem to match what’s described as, Spriggans.” Hox eyes then narrowed as he gripped his staff tighter. “They’re… sentinels of the Faelands. They supposedly appear when they sense hostility towards their home.”

“Well, tell ‘em we ain’t ‘ostile to ‘em! Let ‘em know we’re just tryn’ta do our jobs!” barked Gern as he held his sword with both hands gripping tightly.

Shaking his head, Hox looked on despondently as he replied, “It’s not that simple… Spriggans are a unique kind of Fae and don’t communicate like common ones. They only follow the orders of certain Fae; in other words, they’re soldiers.”

The six figures slowly hunched down and raised their clawed hands.

The party braced itself but Delleen suddenly saw a familiar silhouette darting across the bushes.

“Guys… hold up. I think something’s coming.” she whispered.

Hearing the rustling sound, the six figures turned towards the noise within the shrubbery.

From out of the bush, a small child-like humanoid Fae with a green plant-like body, dangling vines that looked like hair, and a face that looked like a blank piece of wood with eyeholes jumped out waving its arms.

A small ball of light with wings suddenly appeared from the trees and buzzed above it.

Seeing this, the spriggans immediately released their tension and walked towards the little Fae.

Making gestures with its hands while hopping around, the little Fae led the spriggans deeper into the woods towards the party’s intended destination.

Seeing the Fae gone, the party lowered their weapons and let out a collective sigh of relief.

“Wot in the ‘ells just happened?” said Gern scratching the side of his head.

“That… Boggart just led those woody Fae away.”

Shaking his head at Orsley’s response, Hox corrected him. “That was no Boggart. They look similar at first glance, but I believe that was a young Dryad. Otherwise, the spriggans wouldn’t have listened to it.”

Relieved that they didn’t have to fight, Delleen turned towards the others as she voiced her thoughts, “I think we should leave. With the Fae acting as wards, we won’t be able to go any further so I think it’s best we go back and report this to the Guild.”

Thinking about the situation then nodding in agreement, the mage and the halfling turned towards Gern.

Letting out a heavy sigh, the big man wordlessly sheathed his sword and crossed his arms as he looked at the others with a sour expression.

Thankful that reason is not lost to her friends, Delleen led the party back hoping that this would be the last they’d see of this event.

***

As the little Fae led the group of spriggans, it noticed that the closer they got to the tree with the hollow, more red crystals and black thorny roots seemed to be growing in the area.

What was worrying was that anything these roots touched seemed to wither away and crumble, even earth and stone.

Seeing how quickly it spread, the little Fae believed that the ones it brought wouldn’t be enough to deal with whatever was causing the infestation.

Just as it was thinking of going back and bringing the elders with greater magical inclinations, the six spriggans suddenly moved to protect it within a circle.

Confused with what was happening, the little Fae tried to see through the wooden bodies of the Fae protecting it and saw something red flashed.

In the blink of an eye, a green spriggan was smacked aside and sent flying towards a cluster of black thorny roots.

The roots unfurled and caught the Fae by its limbs. It then proceeded to pull at its arms and legs.

The spriggan struggled and pulled as if in a frenzy but despite its efforts, only a horrible splintering sound echoed out.

Suddenly stopping and the light of its body fading, the root-like tendrils pulled it apart as it crumbled into fragments and splinters.

Seeing what happened to their comrade, the remaining five spriggans flared up with the light of arcane fires blazing across their bodies.

Without hesitation, the last green spriggan carried the little Fae and ran back the way they came.

Looking back at the others, the little Fae saw the two pairs of yellow and orange spriggans facing the creature that knocked one of their own aside.

The creature was abnormally gaunt and hunched over. It was at least a head taller than the spriggans and possessed no eyes, nose, or anything that would seem to let it sense its surrounding. Only a gaping maw with sharp teeth that split at the center of its bottom jaw.

The most frightening thing about it though, were the two massive blade-like talons that grew from each of its hands.

With a shriek, the creature charged towards another spriggan, but rather than get thrown like the previous one, this one managed to stop the creature’s charge by catching its blades within the hollows of its wooden body and holding on to its arms.

Seemingly surprised, the creature tried to pull out its arms, but the other spriggans weren’t idle and the two yellow ones held it down.

The remaining orange spirggan then proceeded to claw the creature’s back with its own wooden talons.

The creature cried out in pain as its blood sprayed out towards the spriggan when it cut it open, or at least it should have been blood.

The red sticky substance clung to it and wherever it did, vapor started to rise as it melted away the Fae’s wooden body.

Stunned at the damage caused by its blood, the creature took this chance and used all its strength tear through the spriggan who used its body to hold down its blades.

Tearing another Fae apart and now with only two remaining, this was the last scene the little Fae saw before its vision was blocked by the woods.

***