Chapter 15: A Light in the Darkness (Part 1)

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The Umbrae forest stands as a vestige of what was once an expansive woodland covering most of Northern Asmeon. Little is known of the forest or its inhabitants, as all who try to venture inside are met with a strong feeling of hostility, a silent warning to turn back. Those who don't heed this caution are said to be never heard from again.

Probably because of its strong defenses, the forest had been left undisturbed for centuries until a pivotal shift occurred two hundred years ago.

For at this moment, the Astresh King gifted its heir a peculiar creature bought from one of the slave markets. Bearing resemblance to a wolf yet with elongated limbs, a bipedal gait, and short black fur, the creature exuded an aura of silent menace, its golden eyes tracking all who crossed its path.

The gift had been intended as a jest to ridicule the Crown Princess, but instead of showing humiliation, she thanked her father earnestly and kept the creature at her side. As time passed and the two remained inseparable, whispers circulated that the thing must have put her under a spell.

The truth of the creature's nature would only be revealed during a rebellion that shook the country. As assailants stormed the royal palace, murdering everyone in their path, they were stopped once they reached the princess's chambers. There they found their demise, as they were ripped to shreds, leaving nothing but some traces of blood.

Unwittingly the King had bought his daughter a Vzugrel, a denizen of the Umbrae forest now known to hold incredible destructive power. They are capable of forming a bond of loyalty akin to that of a Dragon and its rider, the difference being that it can be forced by any human through the simple fact of discovering the creature's true name.

After these facts came to light, Vzugrels became coveted commodities among the rich, sought to be used in their armies and as personal guardians. Their high demand and relative rarity led to exorbitant prices on the slave market, causing the desperate to brave the Umbrae forest in the hope of capturing one and securing themselves a life of wealth. Yet the tally of those who succeeded in this endeavor remains unknown.

~ The History and People of Magic by Sir Rainaldus Gale


"Therefore we will go and find the Dragon Order, so we can bring back help with us."

The bags under Warchief's eyes betrayed how tired he must be. If Lidea were to guess, he had struggled with his nightmares again. She supposed she should feel bad for the man, but she found herself silently enjoying his predicament. From the side of the training field, she had looked on as he spoke to the mass of people that had gathered there. All eager to hear the news that their great leader was going to share with them.

Now having heard his words, even Warchief's natural charm wasn't enough to overcome their growing concern. It didn't help that most of them had already been anxious, barely recovered from the losses they had faced. But Warchief's sudden decision to leave had only worsened their distrust.

These people were different from the men who had stood beside them, they hadn't chosen to be here. Rather, they had been forced to flee their home just to survive. Some might even hold a grudge against the resistance, seeing them as the reason their neighborhood had been targeted. Something Lidea couldn't fault them for.

Their fearless leader's eyes fluttered over the group, seemingly desperate to find some sort of support as he stood alone before them. Crystal was in the infirmary and couldn't afford to take a break that didn't involve eating or sleeping. While Lidea had been perusing over maps of the cave system all morning, and neither Warchief nor Crystal had been ballsy enough to ask her to stand with him today. Despite her agreement with their plan, the tense atmosphere between the three told her that they were well aware of her feelings on the matter.

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