The Unbidden: A New World (1) (Short Parts)

Part 41

"What's the terrain like? Hot? Cold? What about the monsters?"

"'Tis a temperate region that quickly becomes rife with jungles the further south you go ... the creatures in the area are significantly larger, stronger, violent, and prolific than the ones around here."

"Even goblins?" I asked, bewildered.

"Even goblins," she chuckled.

"Sirens and other paranormal creatures roam the forests just north of the jungle. It seems to be an area connected with the realm of the afterlife. Once you pass a certain point, however, the most immediate danger are the giant spiders."

I gave a nervous chuckle. While normally spiders were fine since they were so small, I found it hard not to be uneasy at the prospect of spiders large enough to wrap me up and eat me.

"How big do they usually get?" I asked uneasily.

"From the size of a small human child to the height of a fully-grown Elf."

A long sigh escaped my lips.

"The dragons are likely the biggest danger. The records state a trio of dragons live in the area, and have resided there for at least the last four-hundred years," she looked to me before continuing.

Before I could ask the question, she continued.

"Two of them are fire breathing dragons. The last one is rumored to be an aquatic dragon living in the ocean off the coast."

"Why's it rumored?" I furrowed my brow questioningly.

"The last time anyone saw it was four human generations ago ... the people claimed it rose from the ocean."

"I assume people have tried tracking these dragons down, right?"

She nodded as though waiting for me to ask that question.

"Hunting parties have gone in search of the dragons, but most of them ended in either death or retreat upon finding the dragons."

I placed a finger on my chin in contemplation. Dragons seemed the most normal, but they were dragons. If they were as powerful as I imagined they were, then Thea made it so. I had become lost in my thoughts so deeply Vel'Nysa had tapped on my head while calling me.

"Sorry, I was thinking. Do you have any further information?"

She skimmed the scroll some more.

"One of my contacts in the south reported one of the dragons has begun a feeding spree that has lasted at least the last few months. 'Tis apparently so large no one has bothered trying to stop it."

"Is it within this kingdom's territory?"

"No, 'Tis located within the borders of the Drorkin kingdom. They have reinforced their cities with ballistae and trebuchets."

I sat there in a confused annoyance. Why let a dragon go on a rampage for so long if they had that capability?

"They have no method to stop it?" I asked in annoyance.

She looked at the scroll and back to me with hesitation in her eyes.

"What?"

"Well, they are also training hundreds of mages in secret, primarily to defend the cities."

"They could've just sent them out, I'd think?"

"I know not why they hesitate, either," the hesitation in her eyes vanished, as though I avoided a certain question.

I sighed.

"What of the mages in the northeast? And the terrain?"

"Have you heard of snow before?" she asked.

"..."

"What?" I asked, taken completely off guard.

"It rarely ever does here, but there are areas where the water comes down not as liquid, but as a crystal," she said smartly.

I couldn't help but laugh heartily. It was her turn to be taken aback.

"What is so funny?"

"Nothing, nothing. I've heard of snow," I said after calming down.

"Where I lived, it snowed every year."

"So, you are from up north, then?" she asked.

"I guess you could say that," I said noncommittally.

"Well, the northeast is a winter wonderland. Rarely is the sun visible through the thick, snow-filled clouds. The existence of the mages in that area has been known to my order for some time."

"Why haven't you guys done anything about it?" I scoffed.

She shot me an annoyed look.

"Because they're simple mages. There is no reason to mount an assault against them."

I stood from the chair as my back began to hurt.

"I heard from a man I met that there were evil mages in the northeast raising armies or something."

"'Tis likely a merchant's tale and nothing more," she chuckled.

"Is that normal? To talk about mages and evil so casually?"

"Maybe if they wish for you to avoid the area as their competition lurks, I suppose."

"Guess that makes sense," I laughed.

Vel'Nysa smiled at my simple ignorance.

"Is there anything else you know about them?"

"Nothing in particular."

She took a smaller scroll, then grabbed a tiny vial off her potion table and placed the two next to one another. Then, she uncorked the vial and placed a single drop on the scroll. A strange, blue-green fire exploded over the parchment revealing a bunch of text.

"This was one of the newest pieces of information to arrive from that area. I had not a chance to read it until now," she said, skimming over the words.

"More rumors, it seems," she sighed.

Rumors didn't help me much. After a minute of idle thought, I looked to Vel'Nysa.

"I guess I need to discuss this information with my companions and decide where to go from here. I appreciate your help."

She smiled and nodded.

"'Twas my pleasure,"

Later that night, I briefed Thea, Jayde, and Aurias on what I found. I told them I ruled out the unknown creatures to the Southwest, and that I was tied between the dragons and alleged mages in the northeast.