Melken stifled a yawn as he climbed out of the rough underhill quagmire that he had been stuck in for several minutes.

The young elf quickly walked towards a small hill, jutting from the meadows of pointed thorns and poisonous frogs that had made his visit towards Mayday Springs all the more memorable.

It had originally been a town off the border of the Vosfort Kingdom. The town wasn't noteworthy for the most part besides the twenty-three or so Dungeons that called the area home.

But the town couldn't make use of such a treasure cause of the fact that the terrain was too easy to get bogged down and exhausted. Add to the regular Waves that were released from the Dungeons due to no adventurers or soldiers keeping the monster populations low.

It was a practical death trap that had only increased its lethality. Especially when that random Cavern & Earthquake Dungeon had appeared.

Melken soon reached the top. Letting out a small whoop as he saw a massive idyllic meadow stretch before him. Unbothered by the sweltering sun and the summer season that had left the land around them dry and hot. White bunnies bounced around the area with cute hops. Only being interrupted when the odd Dungeon mob came out of the woods and murdered a burrow.

Melken had known bunnies could be some cold pricks but this was another level.

He walked out into the meadow, feeling the hot sun hit his back with a blast of power. The big fireball had grown heated(heh) that someone had escaped its rays and sought to punish the elf that did.

Meferios could be like that.

Melken held the holy symbol of Meferios in his hand and quickly chanted a common prayer he had heard some priests cast while envisioning Meferios. A massive sun covered in elf ears to Melken's eyes. Magical energy was quickly drawn and channeled into the spell.

A few seconds later, the sun's rays abated and Melken quickly continued his journey through the meadow.

The guild had sent him when they had discovered a wave of 'queer' magic as his captain had described. Melken had as such, being the only scout and explorer with any skill. Been sent out to investigate, if he was lucky it was just some random plant that had gained some sort of artificial sentience.

Such things had happened in recent years, with random wildlife gaining access to the records. And accidentally releasing blasts of uncontrollable magic in the area.

Arcane energy infusing the surrounding area and making it weirder as a result.

Melken, ever the dutiful elf. Had also taken several quests to explore the area where he was heading.

So far, he had finished them all and just needed to return a random bird that had gotten lost. The noble paying would trade him a favor if he found it.

Such a thing was precious to most people like Melken so he had jumped at the opportunity.

Melken slowly walked through the meadow without incident, sometimes killing a few local critters to take back and sell. Or, if they were interesting enough, study.

As Melken walked back into the woods, having spent nearly an hour out in the sun. The prayer he had cast earlier making the shade a tad colder than usual.

Melken was about to dispel it when it just sorta, fell off, the magic energy around him falling apart in clumps in seconds.

Melken raised his eyebrow. Before pulling out his measuring device, sure enough. The energy source his captain had described was around him. And he would've missed it entirely had he not cast the blessing.

Melken chuckled to himself, he had thought the magic source would've been easy to sense. But it had apparently alluded him, things had gotten more interesting.

As he walked towards the area that held the most magical energy that matched the description. Melken failed to notice a flaming bird that was eerily similar to the one he was supposed to retrieve for the noble fly around and trail him.

Nor did his eyes track the soft silver glow of a small goat pick up randomly mutated wild-life that had fallen off from the main plant. Before stuffing it inside their head and flying away.

Had he noticed those two things. He maybe would've realized that this magic source wasn't as harmless as a source described as 'queer' would sound.