Chapter 11: Supper with your local druid

As Kael and Abel continued their journey through the forest, they spotted a horned hare- an impressive creature about a meter long, with sharp, twisting antlers sprouting from its head. Kael was quick to react, catching it with the stone dagger Abel had crafted with his magic as part of their training.

"That's a huge rabbit," Kael said, holding up the hare.

"That's a hare, not a rabbit," Abel corrected, glancing back at him. "And yeah, it's pretty big-probably just over a meter."

"What's the difference?" Kael asked, curious.

"Hares are a lot bigger than rabbits," Abel explained with a shrug.

"So... different species, same thing, just bigger?" Kael asked, still holding the creature in his hands.

"Essentially," Abel nodded, clearly amused by Kael's confusion.

Kael's eyes lit up as he grinned, turning the hare over in his hands. "When do we cook this beauty?".

"At night, after we've covered some more distance, we still have some time until sunset" Abel said.

"Ok, pick up the pace dude" Kael said charging forth with the horned hare on his shoulder.

...

When the sunset arrived, Kael and Abel found a good spot in the forest to rest. Kael crouched down, his fingers brushing over the hare's sleek fur as he inspected the creature. "So, now what?" he asked, still grinning.

Abel glanced at him, a serious glint in his eyes. "We need to field dress it first. If you want it to taste good and last, we have to drain the blood."

Kael tilted his head. "I thought we just... cook it?"

"You don't want that blood in the meat," Abel said, kneeling beside him. "First, we cut open the belly and remove the innards. Then we hang it to drain, so we don't end up with tough, bloodshot meat."

Kael grimaced. "Sounds... messy."

Abel chuckled, a hint of amusement in his voice. "It is. But it's part of the process. I'll show you how."

Abel's hands moved swiftly, demonstrating the proper way to make the first cut along the belly. Kael followed his lead, though his movements were a little more hesitant.

"Careful with the intestines," Abel warned. "You don't want to puncture them, that's when things get real nasty."

Kael nodded, his face scrunching in concentration. "Right. Got it."

Once the hare was cleaned and drained, Abel expertly hung it from a nearby tree branch, letting gravity help with the blood removal. He wiped his hands on his trousers and turned to Kael, his expression calm. "Now we wait for it to bleed out. Then we can cook."

Kael glanced at the hare, already feeling the anticipation. "So, what's next? We roast it over a fire?"

"Exactly," Abel said, nodding. "You've got the right idea. Let's set up camp, and we can make a nice stew out of it. You'll learn the rest of the process as we go."

Kael grinned, clearly eager to continue. "Can't we use my fire?"

"We could, but since it's gonna get dark soon and your fire is black, it won't do." Abel chuckled.

Kael rubbed the back of his neck. "Good point. Can't I just use the lighter Orin gave me?"

"I mean, sure, but you're gonna have to learn one day without it," Abel sighed.

"I can eat and absorb fire supposedly, I'm always gonna carry a spare fire source." Kael shrugged.

"So privileged," Abel covered his face with his hand.

"Oh, spare me, Pebbles," Kael chuckled.

"You're spending too much time with Davit," Abel said.

"Perhaps," Kael laughed.

After a while, the sun had completely set, and the dark of night fell upon the forest, but Kael and Abel had a small fire to light their night.

"The meat is ready to be cooked," Abel said after checking on the hare hanging from the tree.

...

After Abel served himself and Kael a hearty bowl of hare stew, both of them settled in beside the crackling fire. The warm steam from the stew mingled with the cool night air, the smell of the meat and herbs filling the quiet forest. They were finally starting to relax, the weight of the day slipping away, when a low rumbling sound came from the bushes nearby.

Both Kael and Abel tensed, hands instinctively put down their bowls. The rumbling grew louder, like something shifting through the underbrush.

Then, with an almost graceful movement, a slim, young figure emerged from the foliage. The person had oak-colored skin that seemed to blend with the forest shadows, long platinum blonde hair cascading like a waterfall down their back. Their ears, long and pointed like an elf's, twitched slightly, and their bright green eyes gleamed under the moonlight, the dark gray sclera giving them an almost eerie, otherworldly look. Two deer-like horns sprouted from their head, curling back over their shoulders.

Dressed in dark green robes that blended with the forest, the stranger stood still for a moment, assessing the two young men by the fire. A soft rustle of leaves followed as they stepped closer, their movements fluid and quiet, as if they were part of the night itself.

"Greetings, young travelers," the figure said, their voice soft yet clear. "The smell from your stew was far too wonderful to ignore. May I sit with you?"

Kael stiffened, his eyes narrowing as he watched the figure. "Uh, sure..." he said, glancing at Abel. "You're not gonna start something weird, are you?"

Abel, however, didn't seem as surprised. His expression was unreadable as he nodded. "You may join us, if you wish. But don't mistake our hospitality for weakness."

The figure nodded slowly, the corner of their lips curling into a faint smile. "I wouldn't dream of it, kind stranger." They sat down at the edge of the fire, their robes flowing with an elegant grace. Their gaze lingered on the stew for a moment before they turned their attention back to them.

"I am Orlae, I'm what you call a druid in case you were wondering." the figure said, their bright green eyes studying Kael and Abel. "You two have such wonderful auras." Orlae chuckled.

"Uh what?" Kael asked, blinking in confusion.

"Didn't mean it in a rude way," Orlae smiled, their eyes softening. "You can come out, little ones."

From deep within the dark forest, small orbs of different-colored lights flickered into existence. They floated in and out of the shadows, like will-o'-the-wisps, and surrounded the trio in a luminous swirl.

Kael and Abel immediately stood up, their muscles tensing in anticipation of an attack. "What the?" Kael muttered, as his right hand burst in his black flames, ready to fight.

"Relax," Orlae said, a knowing smile playing at the corners of their lips. "I mean no harm. These are nature spirits, or fairies, as people like to call them. They couldn't help themselves when they felt the presence of a dragon and a god."

"How did you know?" Abel asked in serious tone, signaling Kael the put his flames out.

"Druids and fairies can sense and distinguish magic better than all the mortal races." Orlae said with a warm smile. "Ah but not a true dragon, perhaps from a magic stone."

"You'd be correct" Abel said.

Orlae chuckled, "Looks like I still got it", he took a bit spoonful of their stew, "This is very good, but I stand by what I said, I mean you no harm, We were just curious about the two special magic properties that wondered into the forest."

Some of the brown lights went to Abel and some red ones flew towards Kael.

"These ones are quite fond of you cause of your elemental attributes" Orlae's warm smile didn't disappear.

"Well looks like there is no point in hiding anything, you don't seem like a bad person, this dude is Abel and he has earth dragon magic as you guessed, from a magic stone and I have fire celestial magic." Kael said in a firm tone.

"Kael it's not wise to tell strangers that." Abel scolded Kael.

"I'm happy that you trust me that much especially since you've known me only for a little bit." Orlae said.

"These fairies won me over, they're super friendly so I can assume that I can trust you and at the end of the day, fire celestial magic would be quite destructive in a forest, wouldn't you agree." Kael grinned.

"What a scary child you are," Orlae laughed at Kael's reasons, "Such wonderful and fresh answers."

Kael tried to keep his poker face, considering how wacky and calm this druid seemed to be.

"So what brings you to these parts, if you dont mind me asking?" Orlae asked.

"Might as well," Abel sighed, "We're wizards from a guild from Eldoria and we're on our way to Sylverholt village, because we received a quest that said that their soil has been poisoned for about 2 weeks now." he explained. 

"So you're going to help with that yes?" Orlae asked, while enjoying the stew.

"Yeah, do you know anything abou that?" Kael asked.

Orlae paused, their spoon halfway to his mouth, and gave Kael a thoughtful look. The playful demeanor on their face faded for a moment, replaced with a more serious expression as they considered the question.

"The land around Sylverholt…" Orlae murmured, their voice taking on a slightly distant quality as if they were speaking to a wall. "It's an area that has long been in balance with nature. Poisoned soil-now that is something unusual. Something has disturbed the balance, and that kind of disruption doesn't happen without cause."

They set their spoon down gently, their eyes glancing toward the dark forest surrounding them. "That would explain the unnatural energy creeping through the air in that direction. A disturbance, as if something is rotting deep beneath the earth, feeding off the vitality of the land. It's no natural illness, no common blight or sickness. Whatever is poisoning the soil, it's more... deliberate."

Abel's expression grew darker. "Deliberate? You think someone's doing this on purpose?"

Orlae's green eyes flickered with an unreadable emotion. "Yes, there's likely poison magic at play. I trust that you're gonna take care of it?"

"But of course, it's our duty as wizards." Kael said confidently, placing his right hand on his heart.

...

Meanwhile, back at the guild, the night was quieter. Liana sat at a table, poking at her food with a fork, lost in thought. Still feeling guilty and down cause of the giant reminder that quest was for her.

"You don't have to worry, Abel is with him," Jesp said, trying to comfort her with his calm, reassuring tone.

"Yeah, Pebbles is with Pyro, what could go wrong?" Davit added with a laugh, trying to lighten the mood.

Liana's shoulders slumped. "Yeah, but I still feel bad for just closing the door on him without telling him why," she sighed, looking down at her half-eaten meal.

"Aren't you from Sylverholt village?" Orin asked, glancing up from his drink, his voice soft but direct.

Liana looked up, her gaze distant. "Yeah, I am. I just... don't feel ready to go back, or to talk to my parents yet," she confessed, her voice quiet and heavy with the unspoken tension of the past.

Dorian, who had been silent for most of the conversation, spoke up in his usual monotone. "It's been two years since you ran away home, and you've been with us for a year now."

Liana's fingers curled around her fork, her eyes focusing on nothing in particular. "I know... It just doesn't feel like the right time yet. I don't even know if I want to go back, not after everything."

Jesp leaned forward, offering a comforting smile. "Take all the time you need, we're also your family in a way."

"Altough it would be quite beneficial for us economically since you're a baron's daughter." Orin mumbled before taking a simp from his drink.

"Brother, don't be so greedy." Dorian scolded Orin.

...

The morning sun cast a soft glow over the forest as Kael and Abel packed up their things and prepared to continue their journey. Orlae had bid them farewell the night before, their figure disappearing into the shadows of the trees, and with them, the fairy lights that had brought a serene glow to their campfire. It was a bit disappointing, as the atmosphere had been almost magical, but Kael shrugged it off as they ate some of the fresh fruits Orlae had gifted them as thanks for the stew.

Abel took a long drink from the clear river they had found the previous evening, the cool water refreshing as it washed away the last remnants of sleep. With their provisions in hand, they began their trek once more.

"If we continue at this pace, we should arrive by sunset," Abel said, his voice steady and focused.

Kael shot him a sideways grin. "Let's go then, walk faster, old man."

Abel's eyes narrowed, a vein twitching in his temple. "Old man?! I'm only 22," he grumbled, clearly annoyed.

Kael couldn't hold back his laughter. "Well, not with that attitude," he teased, picking up the pace just to provoke Abel further.

The two of them fell into their familiar rhythm-Kael, the playful, teasing force of nature, and Abel, the steady, no-nonsense companion who couldn't help but rise to Kael's antics. The day ahead would be long, but with the banter between them, the journey felt just a little lighter. The forest gradually opened up, the trees thinning out as the path led them into a vast valley. The sunlight broke through the canopy, casting golden beams across the land, illuminating a small village nestled in the heart of the valley. The sight of Sylverholt village, with its rustic homes and fields that stretched to the edges of the valley, was a welcome one.

The village seemed peaceful from a distance, the kind of place where the simple rhythm of daily life flowed effortlessly. However, both Kael and Abel knew better. The air felt heavier here, and the soil that had been poisoned for weeks now surely left its mark on everything in its wake.

"We're almost there," Abel said, his voice a little quieter now. The usual lightness in his tone had been replaced by the focus of someone who was about to confront a problem.

Kael nodded, his expression serious now, the teasing smile from earlier faded. "Time to see what's going on here," he muttered, as they continued walking toward the village.

As they approached, the few villagers they saw working in the fields seemed distracted, their movements slower, their faces drawn with exhaustion. A few looked up at Kael and Abel as they entered the village, their gazes weary but hopeful. It was clear they had been waiting for help.

"Excuse me mister," Kael ran up to a mister walking at the fields.

"Ah, you don't seem like someone from around here, what brings you here young man?" The kind man asked.

"Me and my friend are looking for Mr. Arves, do you happen to know where he might be?" Kael asked him, Abel walking behind Kael.

"Are you a relative of his, if so you came to visit at a bad time" The kind man asked.

"No no, we're here in order to help with the soil issue," Kael showed him the quest sheet.

"You two brats are wizards? They just keep becoming younger and younger" A second man laughed.

Kael turned around, eyebrow raised as he took in the second man but Abel, the more grounded one, stepped forward and gave the two men a nod. "We're not here to cause trouble. We're here to find out what's going on with the soil, and we need to speak to Mr. Arves about it."

The first man nodded slowly, still eyeing them curiously. "Mr. Arves, huh? He's a baron here. You'll find him at the big building near the center of town. It's hard to miss. Can't miss the big oak tree near the front." He glanced at the field with a resigned sigh, as if nothing they did could fix it. "But you're wasting your time if you think talking to him is gonna fix this soil. The land's been dying for weeks now. No one really knows how to fix it."

Kael couldn't hide the flicker of frustration in his eyes. "That's why we're here," he said firmly. "Don't worry. We'll get to the bottom of this."

The second man chuckled, shaking his head. "Alright, but don't expect any miracles. This village's been living off hope for too long."

"Thank you," Abel said to the first man, offering a slight bow before turning toward the building the man had mentioned. "Let's go, Kael. Time to get some answers."

As they walked toward the center of the village, the weight of the situation began to settle around them. The villagers were clearly struggling, trying to keep their spirits up as the earth they relied on slowly poisoned everything it touched.

"I don't like how they seem to have given up already," Kael murmured, glancing back at the two men they'd spoken to. "They're too used to the idea that this is just... how things are now."

"It's not over yet," Abel replied, his voice steady as always. "Not until we figure out what's causing this and stop it."

...

As they neared the oak tree, the village square became more bustling, the people of Sylverholt moving about with quiet urgency, their eyes constantly darting back to their failing fields. And in the middle of it all stood a modest building with a sign reading "Baron - Arves."

Kael stepped up to the door and knocked gently. A moment passed before it creaked open, revealing a man around his early 50s with gray mustache and gray hair tied in a ponytail, "Can i help you with anything?" he asked.

Kael showed the middle aged man the quest sheet, "Are you Mr. Arves?"

"No my dear child, I'm merely his buttler and he entrusted me to deliver the quest to a guild". The buttler said.

Kael blinked in surprise, having a small sense of deja vu. Abel, ever the professional, remained calm as he gave the butler a measured glance. "So, you're not Mr. Arves, but you're working for him?"

The butler gave a small nod, stepping aside just enough to allow them to enter. "Yes, I'm James. Lord Arves has been quite unwell lately, trying to manage the crisis with the soil. He's been ill for some time now. I've been handling most of the village's affairs on his behalf."

Kael exchanged a look with Abel, his expression softening slightly. "Ill, huh?" He glanced at the mansion's modest interior. "Sounds like the village has more than one problem."

"Indeed. The land has been poisoned for weeks, and in turn, it has affected not just the crops but Lord Arves as well. He grew weak after the poisoning began." Jame's face went dark.

"Are these two events connected in any way?" Abel asked.

"In a way yes, ever since the poisoning, Lord Arves has been eating a lot less that he usually does, causing him to lose a lot of weight." James said shedding a tear.

Kael and Abel were astonished by what they just heard.

"Can we come in and talk with him?" Abel asked after quickly regaining his serious and stoic face.

"Yes, of course" James let them come in.