They barely stopped to rest as they travelled the rest of the Linabis Uplands. Once they were across it, grassy plains gave way to thick jungle… specifically, Montar Jungle. It was almost like a sprawling fortress of trees and vines and thick, tough greenery. Its boughs formed a ceiling that darkened all within, shafts of light peering through to illuminate the traversable space that served as the road through it, though calling it a road was generous.

“The mana here is thick!” Pippy remarked. “Thicker than even on the Ijiak Open.”

“Yeah,” Krey breathed, “I feel it.”

“Something powerful lives here?” Livia wondered.

“It if does,” Emilie stammered, “I pray it is friendly.”

The mana was indeed strong here, almost strong enough to be something else entirely… but not quite. Though, it was still strong enough to be a draw for powerful creatures… and must’ve been building up because of the presence of at least one too. There was a reason the knights Berodyl they’d met in Aldiphor were taking the long way round…

Though, for some time, they encountered nothing. All was still and silent, and before long, the jungle’s beauty began to shine through. There was something alluring within its fearsome overgrowth, something primal, something… elemental, Livia thought. This feels like something out of the old stories.

After considerable wandering, the silence was broken. Up ahead, they could hear the sounds of squabbling, and the louder, angrier voice was familiar. They picked up the pace, heading toward the sound, but right as they came up on it, they were repelled by a shimmering cyan light that rippled in front of them like an invisible wall that had revealed itself upon contact. Through it, they saw a tall, person-like shape of shimmering emerald… and they saw Tecal, the draken conqueror of Narkato.

“I wonder what’s brought her so far,” Krey whispered. “And ahead of us, no less.”

“She’s beautiful…” Livia gasped. “What is she?”

“A gnomi,” Emilie answered. “An elemental, that of the earth.”

“She doesn’t look like any gnome I’ve ever seen before,” Pippy murmured, “and she doesn’t seem as friendly, either.”

“Not gnome,” Emilie corrected pedantically, “gnomi.”

“Right, right,” Pippy capitulated. “Another oddity of Berodyl. I’m starting to notice more and more the longer I stay here—”

“Mouths closed!” Livia insisted as vehemently as she could given the circumstances. “Let’s listen.”

A grin tugged at the corner of Krey’s mouth, but he remained silent.

“You are a child of cloth and steel,” the elemental scowled, “and that is all that matters. What you think of yourself or call yourself makes no difference.”

“I am a child of dragons! An aevischild! The blood in my veins is that of the great aeves that rule Tambur’s sky!”

“You talk of blood and veins and the greatness of your heritage… but these words ring the same as weaved cloth and forged steel to us, our domain twisted in the hands of your kind into pale, soulless imitations. What you are must be weighed totally, not just from your own perspective, and we gnomi know your kind very, very well. We will not permit you passage through our jungle.”

“You will permit me passage, or I will burn your jungle to the ground.”

Emilie huffed. “Perhaps now is the time to make ourselves known?”

“I’d say so,” Krey said, “before that mad draken makes good on her word.”

“Livia should go first,” Pippy suggested. “If gnomi are anything like gnomes, Veridis will look good on her to them.”

Livia nodded and emerged from the brush.

“Please,” Livia pleaded, “we can help you. We come with the blessing of the goddess Phyrn! Surely her endorsement must carry weight here!”

“And who might you be?” the gnomi turned to face them. “Yet more children of steel and cloth?”

Livia took to one knee, drawing Veridis and resting on it with its blade stuck into the earth. “Might I… uh… might I ask you the same, spirit of the jungle?”

The gnomi stroked her chin, and floated closer to Livia, lowering the barrier that separated them with a glassy snap of her fingers. “You possess a modicum of respect; a rarity among mortalkind. And, indeed, you do bare the blessing of the goddess… this is no ordinary sword. Very well, I shall introduce myself: I am Emerelda, and I preside over the gnomi of this jungle.” She looked over Livia, into the brush behind her. “Your friends may join you before me, child. They try to hide, but they cannot in this place— not from me.”

Krey, Emilie, and Pippy cautiously emerged from their cover, walking to Livia’s side. Pippy knelt beside Livia, but Krey and Emilie remained standing.

Emerelda raised an outstretched hand toward them. “Kneel. I grow weary of the insolence of mortalkind, and will not suffer your pride in this place any longer. If you truly serve the goddess Phyrn, you shall abide my will.”

Silently, they did as they were told, and also knelt before the elemental.

Tecal moved to stand beside them now as well, but she refused to kneel. “Is this what you want? To humiliate us? Is that your price for passage?”

“Not humiliation,” Emerelda wagged a finger, “but respect. Your kind have done much to provoke our ire; you would do well to earn our trust, and follow your friends’ example.”

Tecal tutted with a sneer… but did join them. “Very well; I am capable of swallowing my pride. My goals exceed your paltry existence at any rate.”

Emerelda ignored her, and addressed Livia once more. “A menace threatens the tranquillity of the jungle. Children of dust and marsh have intruded on our domain, and I would see them removed quickly. If you would lend your cloth and steel to this end, you will be allowed to pass.”

“Children of dust and marsh?” Krey wondered.

“Goblins, obviously,” Tecal hissed.

“I thought the goblins still lived by the old ways,” Emilie said. “Are they not something of an ally to the elementals?”

“How poorly you understand us,” Emerelda breathed. “Though we have, in the past, tolerated the children of dust and marsh more so than the children of cloth and steel, the former have started to feel much like the latter in recent times. And yet, they continue to consort with us… offering one hand while arming the other, no doubt. They are preparing for some vile scheme, of that I am certain.”

“How can you be certain?” Pippy asked. “Why so suspicious?”

“We have existed as long as the land, child; we have had much time to observe mortalkind, and we know the true depths of their horror.”

Livia stood now, sheathing Veridis. “Emerelda… please, allow us to look into this for you. Trust in Phyrn’s judgement and allow her chosen to pass, and we will restore the peace of the jungle.”

Emerelda stroked her chin. “But can you vouch for this one?” she pointed at Tecal. “Her temperament is not as pleasant as yours.”

“I can,” Livia nodded. “She’s stood at our side before.”

Tecal gave Livia a silent look— of what emotion, though, she wasn’t sure.

“Right then,” Krey interjected. “I’m guessing, to get to the goblins, you’ll be needing to let us through.”

“We have no grievance with allowing travellers to walk beneath our boughs… should they be peaceful. However, our patience is that of the earth; it may appear infinite, but we have suffered the ‘gentle’ touch of mortalkind on and on without end. One way or another, it ends with this.”

“Just don’t interfere,” Tecal blustered, shoving her way past and standing impatiently as close to the barrier as she could without touching it.

Emerelda lowered the barrier for them, and they all continued deeper into the jungle. Livia, Krey, Emilie, and Pippy all exchanged silent looks.