Return to Jorgaldur Volume V: Reunion (2)

Origin (I)

Finding Origins was one of their goals. In reality, they didn't know if they could find any, if even one of them had survived. It had been so many years since the arrival of the corruption that it seemed impossible.

However, they had barely started their journey when she had sensed one. That certainly had given them hope, especially to the drelf. For her, they had a very special meaning.

No doubt, after detecting it, she was eager to investigate it, but they needed to recover their mana and energy. Besides, the place was far from safe.

They had hidden from the losts, but their enemies were still around. Although, at least, most of the aerials ones had been driven away by the goshawk, in addition to causing a few casualties among them.

After exhausting much of her mana and energy, she had used Always With You to disappear and return to her sister. More importantly, she had arrived for the meal.

The corrupted flying beings had lost their prey, so they ended up landing, returning to a state of apparent hibernation. Only the call of the generals or the presence of a living person would wake them up.

Gjaki left Shadow Protection on the side where there were no losts nearby. A few meters away from her, on the other side of the spell, one had stopped next to it. Two more were a little further away, and another four were around.

She made a gesture inside, while summoning several Bats to inspect the area. Goldmi came out next to her, and the fairy slowly expanded her aura.

"There're no bad guys," Pikshbxgra reported shortly after.

"Then, let's get rid of these," the vampiress sentenced them.

Everything happened very quickly. Eldi, Maldoa and the lynx suddenly left the Shadow Protection and dealt with the three that were next to the spell in just a breath. Menxilya watched from the protection of the shadow shelter in amazement.

Goldmi fired at two a little further away, while her sister took off from her shoulder. She went for a horned corrupted corvid that was on a branch, by launching herself with Projectile.

Gjaki had approached two others with Darkness. The surprise attack of the level 100 vampiress was simply devastating.

In a moment, eight enemies had succumbed. There were a couple dozen more around, but they didn't stand a chance. They were no match for the group of intruders that had invaded their domain.

The group had advanced following the perception of the drelf, and the trail was growing stronger. Despite that, it was still extremely weak, but it was clear enough for her.

Along the way, they had finished off any lost they detected. Goldmi's arrows were more than enough, but Eldi and Gjaki had decided to practice. Therefore, many times, the elf would shoot first to lure them out, and they would attack them when their enemies got closer. If they were too close, one of them would simply finish them off.

"Clearly, I won," the vampiress claimed.

"No way. My arrow hit it first," the high human denied.

"You look like children," the elf scolded them.

"Are you sure you don't want to try?" Gjaki asked the elf, smiling. She was having fun.

"I tried in the past. But when those two little demons started practicing and outdid me in no time, I gave up. It's not my thing," she explained. She was referring to Goldmi's daughters.

"I hit it!" Menxilya exclaimed.

She was carrying a small bow of her size that Goldmi had lent her, along with arrows also of the right size. It had belonged to one of her daughters, until Eldi had made them new ones "to match" their parents'.

"Even she's better at it than me," the drelf was depressed.

"You're not very good at using weapons, but you're incredible without them," the elf cheered her.

"Aunt Aloa is great!" the fairy also exclaimed.

Maldoa wanted to thank them, but suddenly stopped. She closed her eyes, and remained rooted to the ground. Her roots had come out again, and were penetrating the corrupted ground. It was barely ten seconds later when she retracted them.

"It's here," the drelf announced.

"Here?" Eldi was surprised.

There was nothing special in that place, except the ground and corrupted plants. Apart from themselves, there was a desolate silence, without the slightest trace of life. The only option was that there was something underground, but they had seen how deep the corruption penetrated.

However, the group trusted Maldoa's judgment, even if they didn't fully understand it. Perhaps, Goldmi was the only one who suspected something, since more than once she had visited dryads who coveted her cooking. They had practically kidnapped her.

"Watch out. It's possible that it attracts some losts," the drelf warned.

They nodded. Goldmi first shot all the enemies that were within range of her arrows and Goshawkeye, with the help of the winged bird to locate them. Gjaki and Eldi took care of those that the archer hadn't shot down on her own.

Until then, they hadn't expanded their range of action that much, but now they wanted to reduce their numbers.

After that, the group set several traps around to prepare for what might come. They didn't know how far Maldoa's action could attract them. Not even she knew.

The drelf began to glow softly, though the light was the least striking thing about it. A powerful aura spread around her. It oozed with vitality, with an intensity that was unheard of in a place of death like this.

Nonetheless, it wasn't comparable to when a crack appeared out of nowhere. As it expanded, the aura of life grew stronger and stronger, purer and purer.

The only way to enter the Origin was to force it open, but that meant that part of its aura would leak through the crack.

"There're many coming, hundreds. They're far away, but they're approaching quickly," Goldmi warned at the urging of her winged sister.

"Can you contain them? It'll take time to open it," the drelf worried.

"How much?" the elf asked.

"At least thirty minutes," she evaluated.

"Impossible. Close it, we have to hide. We'll eliminate them little by little. We'll try again later," Eldi suggested.

"It's the only option," Gjaki supported him.

Maldoa sighed. Now that she had found it, she didn't want to let it go. Unfortunately, there was no other choice. Therefore, she retracted her power to let the rift close.

However, before she could do so, they suddenly found themselves in a place lush with life, with vegetation. It seemed like a dream.

"You've woken me up. A fairy? Also, a half-dryad, capable of reaching here! And all of you... are... special," a sleepy female voice greeted them.

They came across a figure emerging from inside a huge tree with light pink leaves. Her eyes, the same color as the leaves, were looking at them curiously, without blinking. Until a slight smile formed on her face.

"So, there's still hope," the dryad said.