Chapter 8 - To Town

A number of them fought off the creatures, slaying them with relative ease while someone dressed in the garb of the temple of the forest goddess Silva rushed over with a vial that she pressed to Ash's lips after the man lifted her and moved her onto her back so that she hopefully wouldn't choke on it.

"Can you move?" The elf's light golden hair and spring green eyes reminded Ash of a tree whose leaves were just beginning to change. She managed to clench her fist slightly and nod, putting her immediately at ease, "Good, good. That's some nasty poison they stole from us. We were supposed to be using it later to hunt a greater flame boar that's made itself a menace."

Ash moved to sit up only for the man holding her to shake his head slightly and change his grip to prevent her from doing so, "You need medical attention, more than we can provide out here, before you get up and about after that poison. We have to head back to town to report that the Lizarlings are out in force, stealing and attacking travelers, so we'll take you there."

Ash tried once more to escape his grip, managing to do so only for her limbs to try to betray her immediately. It had been a very long time since Ash had been faced with strangers, the Magical Protection Agency had made certain of it, vetting every single person she came in contact with thoroughly. Combined with the slaughter of her whole herd except for her, it had the side effect of making her incredibly wary of strangers.

The man watched her trembling, barely standing on her own two feet before glancing at the healer beside him, "Achi, talk some sense into her, please. She's going to collapse and get eaten," he hissed in a low voice, unaware Ash's hearing was sensitive enough to catch the words.

Achi stood and bowed her head slightly, "Might I approach so that we may speak a bit more privately?"

Reluctantly Ash nodded, her legs weren't letting her take off into the woods and she had no idea which way she needed to go anyway. Still, the idea of dealing with strangers was suddenly very overwhelming even if it wasn't her real body in any danger.

The golden haired elf moved close before speaking again, "I understand your unease. We are strangers to you. It is far safer, though, for one of your kind to travel with us than to strike out on your own."

Shock ran through her at the woman's words though she managed to keep it from her expression, "I do not know what you mean. I'm a Starlight Elf," she grumbled, keeping her voice low as well, "Just like him," her head jerked slightly towards the man that had tried to keep her from darting away in the first place.

"I do not know which type you are, but unicorns have quite a unique smell to them when you learn how to detect it," her calm voice spoke, "It is one I have grown used to finding of late as quite the number of frightened young ones have made their way into this forest suddenly, their herds slaughtered and themselves hunted. Many were so distressed by their ordeals that they couldn't remember even the magics your kind are taught while very young and had to be schooled once more in how to use them."

Ash wasn't entirely surprised that certain types of unicorn were open for regular players to choose. It seemed that distress was being used by those players, at the least, to mask the fact they knew no unicorn magics.

Seeing that her unease was beginning to falter, Achi continued, "I worship Silva as one of her Autumnal Priestesses, as you may have gathered from my robes. My friend that rushed swiftly to your aide is a Starfall Paladin of the temple of Sidus in Redwood Stars. Our Archer follows Venatio, god of the hunt. Our Crystal Mage follows Prudentia, goddess of wisdom. Each of us are familiar with unicorns as each of our gods created a type of the majestic creatures. You are safe with us and you will be safe within our hometown."

Ash nodded slightly, tension sliding from her body at the names of the gods that were mentioned. None of them would tolerate an untrustworthy follower and all watched over a type of unicorn though some were more plentiful than others after the great hunt had occurred. It seemed to her that the hunt in question was ongoing in the world of the game but she found herself unsure of how to ask.

The loss of tension caused her legs to go out from under her, as wobbly and prone to buckling as if she were a foal once more.

The paladin knelt by her, his demeanor calm, "I'm going to carry you. You'll ride with me as my mount is the least likely to be bothered by extra weight."

She nodded once, scowling at the idea of riding, she'd never enjoyed it considering she was as fast as most mounts if not faster in her true form. The paladin's swift steps took them to the side of a truly massive wolf that he greeted with a friendly pat on its head. It spent a few moments sniffing at her before giving her a friendly lick and letting the paladin help her up onto the saddle.

He settled behind her, checking to make sure everyone else was ready to go before taking the lead. Once they were back on what looked like a well-traveled road he leaned in to speak to her, "Where were you going before those Lizarlings caught up to you?"

Ash frowned, uncertain of how to answer that question.

Seeming to catch onto her uncertainty, he asked a different question, "Are you Earthborn or Godsborn?"

"I do not know what those mean," she admitted.

"Godsborn, then," he responded, "The Godsborn are each connected to one of the gods but a great many of them have no memories of homelands or even their own magics. Strange people but good people too, always happy to help so long as you compensate them properly. Considering you're a Starlight Elf, you should be connected to Sidus though the Godsborn are sometimes a bit odd in their connections. Would you like to visit his temple with me when we arrive in Redwood Stars?"

Ash nodded in response, "The temple of Sidus sounds like a good place to go right now."

She had a lot of questions and even if Sidus couldn't answer them it would be a safe place to wait for Luna.