They travelled across the fields surrounding the small town until they came across the entrance to the maze. They came across the giant red rock face staring down at them. The group entered and went into the landscape of jagged spikes. There was a strange change in heat as though the landscape was truly in a different ecosystem. The sun beat down into them like in a harsh desert. Soon it seemed as if they had walked to a different part of the planet, most plant life was dead and there wasn't even a slight indication they had just walk off a grassy field. The landscape drifting from the savannah and then to the barren red they remembered.

Swift was still staring into his books, reading: 'history and origins of the western continent.

"Hah," Swift shouted, engrossed in the book.

"Read something interesting?" Adil asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Swift asked, looking over his books with inquisitive eyes.

"Hit me."

Swift let his smirk stay as he began to explain, carrying on to read at the same time.

“Well, apparently there are elves, and they also used to be human,” he offhandedly said.

Seras looked towards him, "No shit, those stuck up assholes?" Seras joked,

"I heard they live alone and dont like visitors."

"Something like that," Swift replied.

“So, your pretty into that reading now?” Adil asked.

“It’s like I can sink into the world of books. Everything is so much more interesting and sticks in my memory like I don’t even need to try.” Swift replied without even taking his eyes from the book. His eyes grew wide and even the hairs on his head seemed to perk up as he came across something even more, interesting.

Seras found no trouble climbing over the obstacles they came across, even in her heavy armour. The only problem that arose was waiting for Swift to put down his book just so he would use his arms. They travelled until they came across a strange black weed. The grassy plant seemed to be wafting in the wind exhibiting a sort of spore-like aura. Swift went over to examine it.

.-Mutated taint weed.

A plant that has been mutated by the taint that covered it.

“I haven’t seen anything like that before” Seras mentioned.

“It's like what happened to the grass we gave you. But when we found it, it was nothing like this. Also... that’s what she said,” Swift said.

Swift was ignored but he then went in to reach for the plant, the spores appeared to react to him coming close, a portion of it leached and jumped up, like a tentacle and wrapped around his hand. On instinct, he vaporized it, a small puff of flame and it all disappeared.

“What the hell was that.”

“Tainticles” Swift said an educated look on his face.

No one was happy. Especially the reader. I assume.

“It's a bit like the stuff on the goblins?” Seras chimed.

Swift looked up at her. “I don’t think we've seen any of the goblins with this.”

"The black stuff that grows on them, there was always more on the crazier ones, but never seemed to develop too much and It had never infected something else before... If it's spreading and turning into something like this. There's no telling how much is out there.”

Adil patted Swift on the shoulder and said: “Well, I’m glad you’re here.”

Swift didn’t give a response but just grunted. He just carried on immersing himself in the world of books.

"He's turning into a bit of an ass isn't he," Adil quietly asked Seras. Getting an awkward smile in reply.

The few carried on further and Swift burnt away any sign of taint they came across. soon they arrived in a small enclave of plants that appeared to be developing taint to an extreme point. An area of mass taint mutated and ridden plants developing together in an almost wreathing mass.

Swift put down his book and held out his hand, shooting a burst of fire towards the oozing plants of death. Tactically blasting different locations meticulously generating the most efficient spread of fire. The fire lapped up as the cursed taint began to move in dismay.

“Nooooooooooo,” Swift cried out. A tainted tentacle had jumped out as fire enveloped it, disintegrating it but making a lick of flame fall onto one of Swift's books. He quickly ran towards it and started patting it out, the fire had only singed away part of the cover. Swift sighed in relief.

Adil and Seras gave a little snicker until they met the glare of Swifts angry glare.

Seras turned to face the burning plants.

Seras exhaled and looked across the area of burnt plants.

“This can’t be good,” she said.

"looks like the taint has spread further than we thought," Adil replied.

“I guess we have our work cut out fur us," Seras added.

“You mean you, have your work cut out for me?” Swift added.

Swift walked forward into the area of burnt plants, a fog of smoke still emanating from the ground. He found the dead body of a wolf and goblin, next to the remnants of a broken barrel. He kicked the patch and the animal carcass flew out.

A wolf. Its eyes had dissolved, and fur melted away, its teeth protruded from its face like disfigured spikes. A few broken spears appeared to be jutting out of its side.

*mutated taint wolf -- deceased*

Swift clenched his hand around the wolf carcass and saw it glow. Tendrils of purple light were drawn out of it until the corpse deteriorated to nothing. Swift looked disappointed. Trying again with the goblin he grasped the decomposing corpses head, It seemed to slowly disappear in the same light and concentrate an essence into a tool held firmly in the goblin's hand.

Acquired item Quality

Taint-forged shiv Poor

special effects:

Chance to infect with taint.

Swift furrowed his eyes at reading the effect and focused fire in his hand dissolving the weapon.

"What was that?" Seras asked. seeing Swift do what he did.

"Getting the loot?" he replied.

"I, what?"

"You didn't know? Push your will into dead stuff and it gives you goodies," Adil said.

Seras furrowed her brow. "no i didn't know that, since... what the actual fuck dude."

"Did the goblin not tell you?"

"I am going to kill that fuckign gremlin shit."

Swift and Adil laughed at that. Then Swift inspected the ground where the mutant wolf was.“I’m not sure if the taint spreads on its own or under special conditions. If it just spread by spores I think we would have found more than this.”

They carried on further, dissolving away all that was tainted along the journey.

“Pass me some food Swift,” Seras commanded.

Swift gave her a puzzled look “I don’t have any.”

“Then what the hell is in your pack?”

Swift opened his bag and pointed it to her, it was filled to the brim with books. Seras rubbed a hand over her face, massaging her temple in an attempt to rid herself of the annoyance. “Then let's find something to eat”

“We found some berries on the way before,” Adil said.

"Of course you did," Seras added.

They came across a few more bushes and Swift decided it was a good idea if Adil knew how to collect the stuff as well. He helped him through the skill until he leant herblore himself.

Swift looked around for more evidence of mayhem, bits of broken wood from the barrel seemed to have scattered along a path where the passageways seemed to fork.

“I can see a trail,” Seras said.

“Where?”

“it’s a skill” she explained.

They started following Seras as she inspected the path and bush to find the occasional footprint, broken twig, rock. She seemed to know exactly where to go as though following their shadow.

Loki began checking the things Seras had inspected, trying to see what she saw to no avail. Eventually, he could tell slightly what creatures created what marks on the ground and after something appeared to be calibrating across the side of his awareness he grew a notification.

New kill!

Tracking

You can identify tracks of those you have seen, and perceive their lingering essence.

They followed for a while clearing out anything tainted along the way. They came across a solid trail of the tar along the ground that seemed to follow into a cave. A splash of the black tar was clearly visible along the side of the entrance.

Adil felt a rush through his eyes and mind, the path seemed to highlight prints and splashes of tar along the entrance of the cave. A keen sense of what belongs to each track came across his mind. He could see a shadowy afterimage slowly appear around the prints he inspected.

“Goblins,” he said. Looking at one of the tracks.

“Hah, well done Adil, the skill of tracking is a hunter's best tool.”

Adil gave a slight grin and they carried on following the trail. Within the cave little was visible, Swift managed to find a dead tree and broke a branch off which he fashioned into a torch as not to risk running out of mana. They walked inside hearing out for any noise as they tried to follow the trail.

They didn’t walk inside far before they came across what looked like dead goblins. Decrepit and mutilated carcasses, torn to pieces by something. With the smashed remnants of what appeared to be another two barrels next to them. The black substance was splattered along the cave side and floor around these barrels. Adil went to inspect it, picking some upon his finger.

*refined taint*

Adil lurched back pushing his hand into the fire and seeing the ooze seem to catch slightly on fire but then almost come to life before Swift shot it with some of his purer cleansing fire. Noticing that it might not have just been normal fire that was its weakness, but his special kind. Somehow neutralizing whatever was in the cursed taint.

The sound of collapsing rocks echoed in the cave, a pause of silence as the group braced trying to find out what that was. Then cascading thumps growing ever louder forced them to defensively turn to face the noise. They looked around, searching for what could have made the noise, then suddenly a blood-curdling roar reverberated against the walls. Out of the darkness, illuminated in the flames of torchlight, a troll’s face emerged. wretched and disfigured by black tainted Fungus coating its facial features.

It swung toward the group, just missing Adil as he moved out the way. The lumbering giant was not coordinated, and Adil's recent training engrained a new awareness in him. Seras had charged, taking a low pose and swung into its side. The axe embedded itself in his upper thigh, before tentacles of darkness wrapped around the axis’s edge launching up towards her hands. She dropped the axe and moved back, not taking the risk of letting the darkness touch her.

The monster gave out another cry then Swift shot fire in a narrow stream towards it. The troll caught and was torched in a furious fire, shaking away at the flames it thrashed in agony.

Swift stopped, out of mana and the flames receded from the beast's skin, taking with it the corruption. The Trolls face suddenly looked, cognoscente. More aware, its eyes bore colour where before it was just dull whiteness. Then the black tentacles of corruption spurted out from newly formed wounds. Sprawling over the creature as it struggled in pain.

Adil after dodging had run towards the entrance. He grabbed three arrows and quickly fired them into the beast doing minimal damage but getting its attention. As the creature ran towards Adil, Seras dove into its side and hacked at one of the beasts’ legs, slicing its thigh. It collapsed onto one side.

Getting up as its wounds rapidly healed, tentacles stitching him together, the troll only seemed angrier. Swift began shooting bursts of fire, bit by bit causing the creature to wretch without his mana running out. Adil followed in from Swift, firing arrow after arrow whilst Seras sung at its sides, dashing past it as not to get caught. The creature being slowly whittled down

The creature came slightly into the light of the entrance, staring Adil down. Adil was waiting, just past the entrance. He focused on his aim and like a sniper shot one and two arrows into the creatures’ eyes. The Troll now struggling and losing momentum as the fast-paced Seras cut into its sides. The beast could do nothing but flail about. The black ooze moved around the creature receding then appearing, changing location as the fire was shot into it. Unable to see its surroundings the troll seemed unable to tell where anyone was. Then Adil saw an eye materialize within the black ooze facing Seras as she came in for another attack.

“Get back!!” Adil shouted.

It was too late, the creature reached around and grabbing Seras. She struggled to force the things hand open as it slowly began crushing her. The armour around her sides began to ripple, then Swift came in from behind. A fire in his eyes.

He stuck his hand into the creature and let forth all his energy. The beast screamed in pain as flames erupted all around it, Seras took the opportunity to peel herself out from the creatures grasp and collapsed to the ground.

The beast nearly fell on her as it went unconscious. But she had just managed to roll out the way. Picking up her axe, Seras executed the final blow, decapitating the creature and letting the head roll away.

“Holy fucking shit,” she gasped.

Adil let loose a held breath, “That was.. so.. intense.” He said panting, though he was barely in the fight.

“How did you do that?” Seras asked Swift.,

“I figured it would work better if I burnt him from inside.”

“I saw that, but how, its skin is so thick, how did you do it?”

“I don’t want to go into details,” he said sheepishly looking away.

Notification

Slain creature experience gained

Mutated ‘taint’ troll 233

Special mutation effect

Increased taint regeneration and spread.

Adil stepped over to a rock and collapsed on the ground

"Do you want to have the honours?" he said. Seras looked at the corpse and back to Swift.

She stuck out her hand and grasped the inside of the troll's neck focusing her energy and pushing in tendrils of mana. A purple and grey essence seemed to pour from the beast as the corpse disappeared. The head similarly combining its essence into a vial of liquid.

Acquired item Quality

Troll healing essence fresh

uses: 3

effect:

quickly heal non-mortal wounds.

Seras grew a dark grin as she stared into the concoction.

"I fucking love loot," she beaned.

When going back into the cave they saw how the remains of the goblins had been entirely split open, it looked like the troll attacked the creatures when they accidentally stepped into its cave. The barrel next to the body still notably held a large amount of black slime, some also scattered over the floor.

Swift gathered some of the gunk and inspected it more thoroughly.

“This is inert,” he said

“Come again?”

“This stuff can’t infect people directly, it has to be eaten or changed in some way I think. It’s not like the taint in the mutated plants, it's like its safe until people want it not to be.”

“It's the damn goblins, I knew it.” Seras chimed in. They collected some in a vial taken from Swifts bag and bunt the rest.

They scouted around the cave, illuminating the walls. Swift scoured the cave and shot fire out at anything that seemed corrupt tearing through the darkness at any slight movement.

It was meticulous work. They found the remains of another two goblins in the troll’s base and what appeared to be a mess of black bile around his habitat. The cave wasn’t very big but large enough to hold them in constant fear that another troll could jump out at any time.