Armand wanted to make it clear that little bit of training won’t close the gap in skill level if what Deacon told him about the fight was accurate. He surmised that Lao may be level fifteen or sixteen based on the moves he described. Deacon waved him off stating he has a plan. Robert seemed awfully serious so Deacon decided to inquire.

“You alright buddy.” He said.

“I’m trying to avoid thinking of the horrors these men wrought on my family. I would be a liar if I said I wasn’t looking forward to some petty revenge.”

“We will be there with you; I only ask that you don’t watch me and focus on your own fight.”

“Now that is an odd thing to say.” Robert stopped walking and stared at Deacon.

“I’m going to make an awful mess and would rather you don’t remember me that way.” Deacon said with all sincerity.

“Perhaps you just shouldn’t do whatever it is your thinking of?” Robert said and continued walking.

They traveled the road toward the farmstead that sent the message. The area was filled with wheat fields, so it wasn’t hard to pick up the lone house and barn. As they approached the farmer came out and had some words with Robert. When he came back, Robert relayed the way the marauders left. Typhus got the scout ahead gesture again and we were off skirting the distant tree line. Once we were in the lightly wooded area Elle noticeable perked up. Deacon decided to learn a little more about his friend.

“So the forest agrees with you?” Deacon said.

“Being an elf, I can feel nature inside of me. Out in the wild I get a greater attunement with my magic.”

“Oh, like how Dwellers can navigate in cave systems?”

“Yes, something like that. Not every elf is a magic user, so the effect varies.”

Just then Typhus came barreling through the underbrush waving his hands and yelling scatter! Robert dove to the side and Armand pulled his weapons. Elle managed to hop up high in a tree and Deacon was left standing in the middle of the clearing. Something big was coming. That much was obvious as the trees ahead of us were swaying. Then all was quiet. Deacon looked over at Armand and his eyes were laser focused forward.

“So, what was all that about?” Deacon said accompanied by a ground shaking roar. First one paw then the next stepped into the clearing. What he was looking at was a moving truck sized bear with antlers. Armand started flanking to the right side of the bear. As the bear turned its head Typhus appeared on its back driving two daggers deep into its coat. It just shook to dislodge him. It did not seem affected. Robert ran it from its left flank to attack its knee joint. The bear just flexed its leg out and batted Robert away. Deacon just wasn’t going to sit around he dove forward on the bears left front leg and started rabbit punching it.

“That’s not going to work, get back!” Armand screamed.

“Trust me, I know what I’m doing.” Deacon said.

Once he got to the third hit his ability activated. A glow started coming off his fists and traveling up the veins of his forearms. The bear visibly drew in a breath as its coat started to faintly darken. Satisfied with touch of the voids affects on the bear, Deacon began to smile. Then the bear turned in his direction for a bite. One ghostly dodge later the monster was chomping on nothing but air.

“I don’t understand, that should have slowed it enough for you to do damage.” Deacon said.

“It’s a forest spirit, we need to appease it, not fight it.” Elle said from the tree.

“The fuck you say.” Deacon wasn’t having it. He dove forward an rolled under it. Armand began hacking at with little effect and the hit and run tactics of Robert and Typhus were getting us nowhere. Deacon began speed bagging the bears nuts. There was howl from the depths and the monster started jumping around to escape from the creature that would be so cruel. It then decided to roll around on the ground hoping to crush whatever was under it. Deacon anticipated this strategy and sprinted for the nearest tree. The bear then got up and lumbered back into the forest at a surprising pace howling the whole time.

“What did you do?” Typhus asked

“I made it decide there was an easier meal elsewhere.” Deacon replied.

“I saw you. You were mashing its berries. I did not teach you that and let us never speak of this again.” Robert said.

“We weren’t getting anywhere!” Deacon said.

“Ya did what?” Typhus snickered between fingers held to face.

“That thing was huge and required appeasement. Elle’s arrows were not getting through that things hide.” Deacon said in his defense.

“I was working on a spell that would have done the job but I needed more time. It is incredibly rare to come across one of those. We aren’t that far from the farm. It doesn’t make sense.” Elle said.

“I think I can explain that.” Typhus said.

Typhus began telling everyone that he came across a cave while scouting ahead. He managed to snag a small bear statue that was recessed into the wall. Elle hopped down to examine it. When her spell was done she said it was an old spirit trap. Mages create these to suppress guardian spirits, but they are mostly used to pacify dungeons and ancient ruins. Never a forest spirit.

“Maybe there is a hermit mage out here somewhere.” Robert said.

“No, they would be smart enough not to do this. The second the seal was broken it would come right for them. There is someone out here who intentionally suppressed that spirit.” Elle replied.

They all decided to go to that cave to look around. Elle walked around outside of it for a few minutes. When she came back, she said there were a great many footprints outside. Like many people passing back and forth. That was strange because the main road is nowhere near here. Armand suggested she get a view from the top of the outcropping.

“Well, I have good news and bad news.” Elle said when she came back down.

“Good news first.” Replied Armand.

“I found the marauders encampment. It’s about two miles east of here”

“And the bad news?”

“It’s big.”