Elemental Magnetic Star

Chapter 39 The Sanctuary of Saint Arlinwood

In the middle of a hillside lay the Elemental Magnetic Fruit Forest, entirely filled with Elemental Magnetic Fruit Trees and Terra Groves, encircling the valley – a 'protected area' designated by the Terra Grove tribe for the Free People's Tribe.

During their escape, Saint Arlinwood shared this information with Raina Grace, stressing the importance of not stopping. If they didn't leave the Terra Grove territory, they wouldn't be safe.

So, they ran desperately, falling and rising again, moving step by step when strength failed them. According to Saint Arlinwood, her fireball could temporarily stop the fastest Terra Grove Heart – Mang Wu. Others, having possessed the Terra Grove tribe in elder forms, moved slower, so there was no immediate concern.

Raina Grace half-understood this and didn't dare tell the saint that a "Grove Heart" had been following her. Weeping Stick, for some reason, didn't stay with its tribe – if it truly was a "Terra Grove Heart" – but stuck close to Raina Grace, quiet and obedient.

Raina Grace "communicated" with it – finding out she could converse with it through consciousness without speaking. She tried to tell it to leave, but Weeping Stick only repeated, "I can't, I'll die."

Unsure of the truth but unable to send it away or let it die, Raina Grace decided to keep it around after confirming its presence wouldn't expose them.

Saint Arlinwood was already struggling. Pulled along by Raina Grace, she eventually collapsed.

Raina Grace tried to lift her but, lacking strength, they both ended up lying on the ground, staring at the sky through gaps in the dense leaves, catching glimpses of the sunset flickering between them. The silence was pervasive, as if no other creature existed there.

"Why are there no insects?" Raina Grace mused.

"This is the Terra Grove's domain, no other creature dares to enter," Weeping Stick's voice echoed in her mind. "Humans are indeed protected here."

Protected, but at what cost?

"You're resilient, girl. I thought you'd be the one abandoned halfway," Saint Arlinwood said weakly but with curiosity, "Do you know why no other creature can survive in the Terra Grove's territory? They control the elemental magnetic field, repelling incompatible life forms. But why aren't you affected?" She looked at Raina Grace with suspicion and distrust.

Raina Grace brought Weeping Stick to Saint Arlinwood, "Maybe because of this? But I can't get rid of it."

Saint Arlinwood's expression changed drastically, ready to jump if she wasn't so exhausted. "A Terra Grove Heart? How is it here?"

"Don't worry, it won't harm us for now," Raina Grace reassured her, her gaze filled with honesty and exhaustion, yet also with clear questions. Saint Arlinwood knew she wondered why she, too, was unaffected by the Terra Grove's elemental magnetic field.

"Because I am the saint," she said.

Raina Grace remained silent.

Saint Arlinwood knew she didn't believe her. "I've never seen you, and you haven't seen me, right? So you're new to the Free People's Tribe?"

Raina Grace nodded, "I believe you're the saint." She doubted, however, that the title alone made her immune to the field, otherwise the Terra Grove tribe would be more cautious of her.

"Yes, the saint is just a title, nothing more," Saint Arlinwood said with a bitter smile. "My name is Arlinwood. There's no saint anymore, only Arlinwood. I did use some tricks to fool the Terra Grove tribe into thinking they controlled me, which allowed me to move through the Elemental Magnetic Fruit Forest without much trouble."

Raina Grace suggested they continue their journey after ensuring safety. She rose, struggling to support Arlinwood.

Arlinwood, determined and resilient, managed to stand with Raina Grace's help. "Let's go. We must leave before nightfall. Terra Groves are more active in the dark."

"Weeping Stick, or the Grove Heart, says it can cover our tracks," Raina Grace shared what Weeping Stick told her earlier. Surprisingly, it was useful.

Arlinwood looked at the glowing green Grove Heart complexly. She was most worried it would reveal their location. But as she couldn't walk alone and needed Raina Grace's assistance, they had no choice but to rely on it.

"Let's hope our luck isn't too bad," she thought.

Luckily, guided by Weeping Stick, they reached the top of the hill before dark.

Looking back at the dark hill and the scattered lights of the Free People's Tribe, Raina Grace felt a sense of longing for the past. The vast, dark, and unknown forest ahead filled her with fear.

"Let's find a tree hollow to spend the night," Arlinwood suggested. "It won't be easy,

thank you for your help."

As Raina Grace supported Arlinwood into the forest, she wondered what secrets the night held in Verdant Thistle Forest.

Flicker Shadow would say, "Hunters often hear wails and strange bird calls deep in the forest, but never truly see the mysterious creatures, for they never venture deep at night."

Small animals would say, "At night, the forest's bushes and trees look alike, easy to get lost. And sometimes, terrifying creatures appear, threatening life."

Predators would say, "I lurk in the deep woods, listening, stalking my prey, playing with it before the kill. The dark forest is dangerous, but a paradise for hunters like me."

Granny Rain would say, "The mysterious forest hides fairy secrets, accessible only to the destined. Find these secrets, and fairies will bless and protect you from harm."

Weeping Stick would say, "Though not the king of Verdant Thistle, I am part of the royal troupe. The night belongs to our Terra Grove tribe."

Arlinwood would say, "Fate hasn't abandoned me, even safe in the depths of the night forest."

And Raina Grace would say, "Tired, thirsty, hungry, everything else is numb."