Chapter 7 - Out of the Forest

But how can they get out of this forest?! 

A few weeks earlier, those were the first thoughts Elysia had as soon as the sun rose.

 After the events of last night, it seemed imperative that they leave the forest as soon as possible. She was reviewing the maps from the Wayfarer's book, her brow furrowed in concentration as she contemplated the best route out of the dense woods. The nearest city seemed so far away, and the path was uncertain at best.

The sprites were clinking and clanking while preparing a meal for three people. Needing a break from the overwhelming feeling, Elysia decided to step outside for a moment of peace. The cool morning air brushed against her skin, carrying the scent of damp earth and pine. As she walked a few paces away from the hut, Sera and Phine, too, trotted behind. Elysia paused, letting the quiet of the forest soothe her thoughts.

She struggled to reconcile the memories tangled in her mind, as if two lives were stitched together within her. One belonged to an older version of herself—a woman with auburn-brown hair, dressed in modern clothing, navigating the towering buildings and bustling streets of a city. The other felt younger, deeply rooted in this medieval world where sprites flitted through ancient forests and strange creatures lurked in the shadows. The contrast was stark, yet one thing remained constant in both lives—the relentless struggle to survive.

Sera approached Elysia, her nine Lupinara tails swaying gracefully, and as Elysia rose onto her tiptoes, Sera lowered her head, allowing Elysia to gently stroke it. 

The moment her fingers brushed against the Lupinara's soft fur, a sudden flood of images rushed into her mind—images from last night, seen through Sera's eyes. She saw the scene unfolding again: how Elysia had stepped in to save Phine's life when the Skrethlings had attacked, and in return, the Lupinara had been filled with a deep sense of gratitude. The images of Sera's struggle and then her eventual relief flashed before Elysia's mind.

Sera lowered her head, almost as if bowing in respect, and Phine copying her mother did the same. At that moment, Elysia understood. She accepted the Lupinara's silent gesture, her heart warmed by the connection.

Then, a voice echoed in her mind—low, almost like a purr, yet carrying the weight of ancient oaths.

Master! Sera's voice murmured, resonating deep within Elysia's soul.

"Did you just talk?" Elysia shocked. 

Master, I swear my loyalty to you the Lupinara's voice purred softly. In battle and peace, my strength is yours, now and forever.

I too Master, swear the same! a younger voice with similar timbre but more playful echoed in his head. 

Silence child! You are disturbing Master with your excitement. Elysia heard Sera's voice and saw how Sera side-eyed Phine. 

"Phine can talk to?" Elysia flabergasted. 

I like Master! Master should be my master! Phine said excitedly. 

The words seemed to reverberate in the air around her, and Elysia was touched and slightly bewildered, understood. It was an oath of service, an unspoken promise to stand by her side. Without thinking, Elysia responded aloud, "I accept."

At that moment, Sera's eyes shone brighter and Phines eyes glowed with gratefulness. It was as though an invisible bond had been forged between them. Since the moment she woke up in the hut, her goal had been to leave the forest but she dared not imagine how Sera and Phine would live on their own. 

Now she did not need to worry since the two will be with her forever. 

*****

A few moments later when Hal and Sal finally woke up from their sleep-deprived state. They were astonished as plates were floating in the air. The sprout siblings were happily preparing breakfast. Three steaming plates of cottage pie sat before them, golden and comforting, alongside roasted parsnips and carrots that glistened with a light glaze. 

A bowl of warm oat and herb porridge, thick and fragrant, completed the meal. Hal and Sal couldn't help but salivate at the sight of the food before them. It had been days since they'd last tasted a home-cooked, hearty meal, and the aroma alone was enough to make their stomachs rumble.

The Sprite siblings floated around Elysia, "This looks wonderful everybody, thank you Fig, Agua, Ember, Gale, and Paku,"

Phine growled at Hal and Sal. She was ready to pounce on the food and Hal and Sal stepped back from their plates. 

"Phine! No!" Elysia said in a stern voice, and one of the sprites nudged Phine's nose. The Lupinara sat down, her eyes wide with hunger despite eating just moments ago.

"Please, help yourselves," Elysia urged Hal and Sal, gesturing to the food.

"Are you sure it's alright?" Hal asked, eyeing Phine warily. "It looks like she's ready to tear our heads off."

"Ignore her; she's just a glutton," Elysia said with a side-eye at the overzealous Phine.

Then Hal looked at the bigger one standing by the door. Sera usually goes out hunting this time but she's been staying outside the door asleep. Her ears are twitching listening to the sound of the forest. 

 "Ember, Gale," she called, and another bowl of food floated over, landing softly on the floor.

Phine whined, her small body trembling with excitement as she looked at the food.

"Why isn't she eating it?" Sal asked, confused.

Elysia waited for Phine to calm down, then said, "Okay, let's eat!"

The Lupinara eagerly dived into the bowl, devouring her share of the meal.

"Please, you guys, make yourselves comfortable and eat some too," Elysia urged, smiling warmly at the twins.

The twins looked at each other, astonished at Elysia's command over such a fearsome creature. But seeing how the Lupinara was busy eating her share of the meal Hal and Sal found courage from their hungry stomachs to dive into their own meal.

As Hal's fork sank into the cottage pie, the crisp golden crust gave way to a tender, savory filling. The rich flavor of the meat and vegetables mingled with a subtle hint of thyme and rosemary, each bite warm and comforting. The roasted parsnips and carrots, glazed to perfection, offered a sweet contrast that made his mouth water with every chew.

Sal, not one to hold back, wasted no time in taking a hearty bite. He then had some of the oat and herb porridge. It was thick and fragrant, a gentle and hearty finish to the meal, the oats still slightly firm, the herbs adding just the right touch of freshness.

Both of them paused for a moment, their eyes wide with the sheer deliciousness of the food. "This is... incredible," they both chorused and Elysia felt a sense of relief to see them in a better state than they were a few moments ago.

"Please have some more!" Elysia offered some more cottage pie and vegetables.

"I'm sorry if we're eating too much!" Hal blurted, suddenly aware of how quickly they were devouring the meal.

"It's just that we've been hungry for days, and ever since we left our village, we haven't had a warm meal," Sal admitted, his voice thick as he scarfed down another bite of pie. His eyes were close to tearing up with both gratitude and exhaustion.

"Where do you come from? Aren't you two too young to be traveling alone?" Elysia asked, her concern evident. To her, they seemed like children—no older than 12.

"No, of course not!" Hal protested, a little offended at the assumption. "We're both 15! And we're on our way to becoming adventurers!"

"I'm the strongest in the village," Sal added with pride, his eyes lighting up. "The village elders said with our strength, we could become adventurers. Our uncle retired as one, and he trained us ever since we were 8!"

Hal nodded enthusiastically. "Our village even raised money to send us to Arvandale so we could start our journey as adventurers." His shoulders looked broader with the weight of their dreams. 

"We'll get our ranks," Sal said eagerly, his voice brimming with determination, "and we'll do quests to send money back to the village! If our village ever needs help with a subjugation or dungeon clearing, we'll have guild connections to call on."

"That's quite a dream. I hope you both can make it!" Elysia praised in the back of her mind adventurers felt like a fictional work but at the same time she had a memory that adventurers were revered and courageous. Becoming one was not an easy path. 

"Our goal right now is to get out of the forest, If we're in the whispering forest we're still a little far away from the Arvandale city." Hal looked at his map. 

Elysia recognized the city's name. It was one of the cities that was encircled in the Master's book and she wondered if the closest city would take at least two seasons to pass until they get there. 

Sal peeked as well "If only we could afford a transportation scroll it would be so much easier." 

"If we had one we can open one near Grandfather's village it's the closest to Arvandale city and Uncle did tell us to visit him before heading to the City." Hal thought. 

"Do you mean this one?" Elysia then showed them the scroll she handed in the ring. 

"A transportation scroll!" Both exclaimed. 

"A transportation scroll is an essential commodity for adventurers. Having one is the difference of life or death in some cases." Hal explained.

"Is it that valuable? I just found this." Elysia asked

"You found it? Where?" Hal asked in disbelief.

"Well," Elysia tries to explain, "the owner of this hut owns this ring. It has some storage space inside." 

Elysia showed it to Hal and Sal. And Sal said "I've heard of storage bags from the city but it's the first time I see something as small as a ring. " 

When Elysia offered the ring to Sal, Sal looked into it and said "I don't see anything" 

"Try wearing it." Elysia encouraged. 

"No still nothing" Sal placed it on his finger and still couldn't see the inventory Elysia could see. 

"Some storage spaces are locked by certain users - it said that unless you have permission to use the storage space sometimes it doesn't let you take anything in or out," Hal explained. Elysia thought about his words, thinking whether that meant the former master left this especially for Elysia. That would mean the former master must know her past. 

"But still you're lucky to have found one. It's rare and often pretty expensive scroll takes a lot of Mana to make and takes a lot of Mana to use." Sal felt a little envious.

Hal opened the parchment "It's intact and it hasn't been used yet so you can use it with no problem." 

"How does it work? I've never used one before." Elysia asked. 

 "Place the name of the place you're coming from here and then place the name of the place you're going to. Then you pour out mana "Sal explains. 

Elysia then "Would my Familiars be able to transport as well?" 

Sal "I've seen tamers with familiars use transportation scrolls before by keeping their familiars in a terranium subspace." 

Elysia tilted her head, "Terranium subspace?" Like a pet carrier? she asked herself.

Hal explains, "It's a space that exists in another world where familiars live." 

Elysia looked through the storage ring again, "What does it look like?" 

Sal chimed in "It could look like anything, there are ring subspaces, necklaces, bracelets." 

"Does this look like a subspace to you?" Elysia showed a necklace. Then the sprout siblings floated around her. The five floating lights usually floating around her stepped into the necklace. 

*****

As soon as Fig, Agua, and Ember saw the necklace they recognized it right away. 

"Elysia! This is the Terranium, master used." Agua explains.

"I wonder if my room is still all here!" Ember said entering head first without a chance of being scolded by Agua or Fig. 

Gale looked at Fig and Elysia hesitant to head in, "Can we jump in?" 

Elysia gave her a nod and Fig took Gale's hand and Agua took Paku's all five Sprite siblings went in. 

"It looks like they went inside," Sal said looking at the necklace glowing with the familiar 

"Do you mind if I take a look inside?" Hal asked and Elysia offered him the necklace. "Wow, I've never seen this intricate Terranium before. It has amenities for familiars, it has a place to sleep and drink.." 

"It looks like a small tree and a meadow," Elysia said when she peered into the necklace. The subspace was sparse, with a single, ancient tree standing tall at its center. 

"Look my room is still here!" Ember called out from the tree. 

Agua came to A small, still pond near the tree that provided water and placed her tiny little finger to create ripples "How refreshing!" 

Fig was immediately in work more, because he started cleaning the area with a few patches of hardy grass and wild berries growing in the otherwise bare soil. 

 "Master look here! Can I take this room?" Paku calls out from one of the tree roots, its simple hollows serve as makeshift shelters. 

Gale was busy flying around the subspace feeling a sense of freedom "Wow this place feels so clean, the Mana around this area feels so pure!" 

Master! Master! I too want to smell the inside. Phine jumped onto the necklace disappearing from view as if she was transported. 

Sera who was asleep at the door stood and stretched her body. Master do not worry, I will retrieve her

Sera jumped into the terrarium she joined in Phine. Instead of retrieving the playful pup Sera suddenly bake puppu-like. They were both rubbing their bodies against the fragrant Moonblooms. Purring, blissfully with their tails wagging. 

"It looks like they're having fun," Elysia said sharing the necklace with the twins. 

Sal took a look, "I heard you can also purchase terrarium in subspaces in the city."

"Then with this means we can all get out of the forest right?" Elysia looking hopeful. 

"Well maybe just you, since we only have one transportation scroll," Sal said

Elysia then summons 2 other transportation scrolls "How about these, are these intact?"

"There's no way you have three transportation scrolls?!" Elysia not realizing the grandeur of the transportation scroll did not reveal that she had a lot in the storage ring. 

Sal and Hal looked at each other and were prepared to bow to her "Elysia!" 

"We might not survive the Whispering Forest, with dungeon creatures lurking about." Hal started.

"We know you saved our lives and even fed us these delicious meals, we don't have any face to ask this favor. But for the sake of our village, we ask you if we could please use a transportation scroll to get to our Grandfather's farm!" Sal continued his head. And both of them placed their head on the floor.

Elysia feeling awkward by this sincere request as if they were begging for their life and death was not sure how to respond "I was planning to leave with you guys in the first place,"

"You... you did?" Hal started to tear up. 

"I mean yes, I can't let two young boys alone in this forest. It's too dangerous." 

Sal held her hand "You are my savior and from this day forth, I will strive to become your sword! My life is yours." 

"I don't want your life, isn't that too much? for a young child to promise?" Elysia said awkwardly. 

Then Sal became moveless as if he were a stone. Elysia's words echo in his ear: young child - young child - young child. 

"But I am of age," Sal said his lanky body feeling thin like a paper airplane. 

"I'm sorry about my brother," Hal said unfolding his weightless brother back into shape, "But we are indebted to you. Thank you for taking care of us and sharing the transportation scrolls" Hal held the two scrolls, they were light and fragile but in actuality this piece of parchment cost 2,000 gold coins. 

"Then, we can start packing anything we need from the hut so we can leave before the sunset." 

"If there's anything we can help out with let us know" Hal was eager to be helpful to the kind person who had saved their lives twice and even offered them a hot meal. 

"There is one thing!" 

"Gale" Elysia called out and both resurfaced from the necklace.

"Yes, Elysia?" Gale said, eager to complete a task Elysia assigned. 

 "We're heading out could you bring out the remaining Game we have from the cellar? It would be a waste if we leave it behind." 

"We're finally leaving" Paku resurfaced with the other four sprites, "Then can I help you with anything Elysia?" he asked.

 "You can help me make a few more rock-salts and pack the pots and pans we've made. It might come in handy later. And we'll have to build a firepit outside."

"Alright leave it to me!" 

"Fig?" She called out. 

"Sure Elysia leave it to me" Fig responded without even saying a word, as her thoughts of command flowed easily to Fig, Ember, and Agua. 

"I'll collect each plant we might have use for. I think they would be helpful. Even if it's just the roots, leaf, or seed of any plant I can grow it!" Fig boasts about his magical prowess. "I'll also gather all the harvestable in the garden."

"I'll help Paku on the Fire, for the firepit and no worries about Sera and Phine I'll take care of them." Ember flew next to Paku. 

Agua calls out, "Then, I'll go collect some water for our travel. I'll make sure to filter it out just like last time." 

Hal and Sal looked at her a bit peculiarly. They both thought that she looked peculiar communicating with floating lights. But Their perception changed instantly as soon as they saw each lights fly away and started doing tasks. 

"Thank you, Gale!" Elysia said smiling to the light that was using wind and air. 

Hal and Sal looked at the perfectly preserved Sablehorn Deer enclosed in an ice block. 

"This is a Deer that - " Elysia started. 

"A deer?" Hal looked at her with raised eyebrows. 

Then Elysia remembers that her older-me memories or dreams had different names for animals than her younger-me remembers. Each animal is also different from what the younger one remembers. 

"That Sablehorn Elk, " she corrects herself, "It was one of the remaining games that Sera gave but I do not know how to butcher it."

Sal had his eyes sparkling, "This is the first time I've seen a Sablehorn Elk, they only serve this to the nobility." 

"Do you know how to butcher it though?" 

"We would hunt Duskwood Elk in my village all the time and I've done cleaning and meat prep a couple of times. They say preparing a Sablehorn Elk is similar" 

"Then I leave it to you guys!" 

"Are you sure? We might not be very good and we might not be able to preserve the skin, which is really precious. They say it takes a B-Rank level hunter to at least track one. It's such a rare delicacy." Hal also stared.

Elysia, Hal, and Sal looked at Sera who had been quiet the entire time people started to bustle around. Sal whispered to his brother "That means that Lupinara might be above B-rank creature for sure!" 

"The important thing is the meat!" Elysia said and Phine howled in agreement. 

Elysia, the twins, and the Sprite siblings spent the rest of the day bustling with preparation for leaving the forest. The Sablehorn Elk had been skillfully butchered, with thick cuts of meat now sizzling and smoking over the crackling campfire outside the hut. The rich, savory aroma filled the air, a comforting contrast to the cool morning breeze. A portion of the meat had been carefully wrapped in large, waxy leaves for easy transport, ensuring they had provisions for the road ahead. 

Paku worked diligently to gather the scattered pots and pans, his small hands deftly shaping and packing rock salts into neat parcels for curing and seasoning. Water sacks were filled to the brim with fresh, cool water drawn from a nearby spring, the effort leaving faint droplets glistening on the canvas. Meanwhile, Ember quietly knelt beside Sera and Phine, stroking the Lupinara's soft fur with a soothing rhythm, earning gentle whines and wagging tails in return.

"I guess we're all set!" Elysia declared with a smile, standing amidst the organized chaos. 

"This is a lot," Hal looked at Elysia, "I don't think we can carry everything." 

"No worries, everything fits in this storage ring." Elysia smiled at them and with a wave of her hand all items were packed in the storage ring. 

"Woah!" The twin looked at Elysia.

"That ring is very convenient to have," Hal said. 

Sal said his eyes eager "Hey Sal! We should get something like that in the city as well!" 

Hal tried to calm his brother's excitement. "I'm not sure about a ring that's as expanded as Elysia but I heard adventurers use enchanted storage bags." 

Teleportation parchment on each of their hands, Elysia said, "Then let's move out!"