The Sanctuary Grove itself was a clustering of trees. However, each one had faint, emerald glowing symbols carved upon the bark. Upon closer inspection, the trees that had symbols carved upon them had grown in a massive circle.
"What do the glyphs mean?" Eris asked.
"They were inscribed there a long, long time ago. They keep the trees from dying of old age and they make it so this place cannot be seen by magical means." Cedric said.
"What do you mean?" Ella asked.
"There is magic that lets you watch things from afar or spy on things. If you try to use that on the Sanctuary Grove or anyone in it, the magic will fail." Cedric explained.
"Where are we going to sleep for the night?" Zerai asked.
"Oh, I'll show you." Cedric said. He guided the group towards a mass of brambles, branches, and bushes. It wasn't too dissimilar to where the group had spoken with Varhine. Inside, there was a dome-like space with enough room for everyone to sleep.
"So, this is where you slept?" Eris asked. Cedric glanced around at the dome.
"Yeah, pretty much." Cedric said.
"So, what's the plan for tomorrow?" Zerai asked.
"I don't believe we have one, yet." Eris replied.
"Okay, we need a plan. Cedric?" Ara' Sei asked.
"Well, according to Varhine, whatever this threat is, it doesn't exist on the Erathian Peninsula, which means it exists in the Eastern half of the Northern Woods. I can teleport us there tomorrow." Cedric said.
"Okay, do you know where you're going to teleport us specifically? The Eastern half of the Northern Woods is rather large." Eris commented.
"I'll teleport us right to the edge of it. Somewhere near the Northern shores of the Norda bay." Cedric said with a hint of uncertainty. Eris and Zerai glanced at one another.
"That seems like a good place to start, does anyone have any objections?" Zerai asked. A few moments of glances and silence passed.
"Ok, I think we're all in agreement on the plan. Tomorrow morning, Cedric will teleport us near the Northern coast of the Norda Bay, which is close to the boundary between the Eastern and Western halves of the Northern Woods. How will we search for the threat, and what should we be looking for?" Zerai asked. Cedric stared at the ground and pondered for a moment.
"I will transform into an eagle. That way, I'll be able to fly quickly and look at the forests from above. The forests are dense and tangled, and on the ground I'm the only one that can easily traverse them. But, because... most of the druids that vanished were alone, I want someone to go with me." Cedric explained.
"Okay, that sounds like a plan, who's willing to go with him?" Zerai asked. Without hesitation, Eris raised their hand.
"I'll go with him." Eris said.
"Yeah, I wouldn't mind that." Cedric said with a smile. Ella gave Eris a smirk, and they shot her a dirty look back.
"While you and Eris fly above, is there anything you want us to be doing?" Zerai asked.
"Get a feel for the forest, listen to the sounds for a while. If anything seems off, tell me. Also, I'm fairly certain you can talk to animals, see if you can find anything out that way." Cedric said. Zerai nodded.
"I can do that. So, while you and Eris scout from above, we'll listen for anything that seems off, and I'll try to start a conversation with any animals I come across." Zerai clarified. Cedric nodded in response.
"Sounds like a plan!" Ella said.
"Alright, should we get dinner or should Cedric make it?" Ara' Sei asked.
"We should get it. I could make it, but I can tell how tired you all are of magical berries, so I'll give you all a break." Cedric said.
Then, the group headed off to have dinner with the other residents of Sanctuary Grove.
YOU ARE READING
Converging Destinies: Part 1
FantasyElla has been a mercenary her whole life. All she's ever wanted is a little bit of fun and a lot of money. She's just looking for a job that'll land her some cash. Cedric has just recently begun to learn the magic of the wild, just as the other memb...
