Edan fussed with the straps on his leather armor as they approached Tish. The straps dug into the side of his neck and under his arm. It was almost enough to make him think he might be growing, but Edan held off on asking Sanik. Sometimes it was better not knowing.

  The metal fangs were sheathed at the small of his back, taking the place of his now useless punch daggers. Likewise, two small throwing daggers were sheathed on his chest. They were plain, ungraded weapons, but Edan could use his [Imbued Throw] skill with them.

  Tish wore a long flowing dress with flowers printed on it. Cinching her dress around her hips was a thick leather belt lined with small pouches. Her wild brown hair puffed up in a curly bush behind her head. She stood in the shade of the barrier, her back almost touching the bruised vines, as if wishing they would swallow her up. Large eyes blinked owlishly at the group before she looked down and pretended to be examining the ground.

  The only members of their party who weren’t present were Marcus and Viagara. The latter stayed back to keep an eye on the former. Or was it the other way around? Edan was certain the answer to that would depend on who you asked.

  Reema nudged Edan forward, and he had to fight back a scowl. It was Reema’s bright idea that Tish, already so shy, would probably open up more if she were around someone her own age.

  Reema had, with all the certainty of a mother, volunteered Edan to act as a liaison.

  Needless to say, Edan, often more comfortable alone, was not pleased.

  “Yo, Tish, I’m Edan. It’s nice to finally meet you.” He said, a little loudly, and a little awkwardly.

  Tish looked up, her eyes having trouble rising above his chin. She jerked her head and mumbled a hello, before sliding closer to Reema. Deciding he had given it his best attempt, Edan cast his mother a smug look and retreated, happy to let her take over.

  “You gave up quick,” Sanik whispered in Edan’s ear.

  Edan flashed his father the thumbs up with not an ounce of shame as Tish said something to Reema and gestured to the barrier. Reema nodded before pointing up.

  “We can hop over the barrier here. There should be a path on the other side that leads into the wilds. Adept Tarik often used it when heading out.”

  As Reema had been talking, Tish had been digging in her pouches. Withdrawing something Edan couldn't see, she crouched and stuck it into the ground. A small creeper began to grow, thin arrow-shaped leaves unfurling as it rose up. Tish grabbed the stem as it came even with her chest before stepping onto one of the leaves. The plant continued to grow, taking the small woman with it.

  Once she was even with the top of the barrier, Tish stepped off. The tip of the plant wrapped around her forearm like braces before the rest snapped off and withered. Within seconds, all that remained on the ground was a small brown twig.

  Impressed, Sanik flashed Edan a wink before he gave Reema a lift. Tali and Gem jumped the barrier. Edan looked at the lip above him before looking back down. Regal was already scratching at his legs, trying to climb up, no doubt to resume his position on his shoulders. The female cub, who Edan still hadn’t named, waited patiently.

  Rolling his eyes, Edan got Regal settled and scooped up the other cub, before hauling himself up the barrier in much the same fashion he had done the day prior.

  Dropping heavily to the other side he let the female cub down, but Regal refused to move and with a defeated grunt Edan left him where he was. Tali stood by and watched with amusement.

  This close to the village, the trees were thinner than Edan expected, though he assumed it had to do with safety more than anything.

  Tish was already walking down a worn path, Reema hot on her heels. A few small ferns grew near the edges of the path, their curled leaves hanging over the edge. Insects buzzed through the air and Edan slapped at one that landed on his arm.

  Moving to follow, Edan kept one eye on the female cub, worried she might wander off or get left behind. She remained close, only moving off the path a few times when something, likely a smell or movement, caught her attention.

  A [Soldier Ant - lvl 9] walked past her, a clump of something moldy in its mandibles, and the female cub stepped aside to give it space.

  Gradually, the surrounding trees grew more dense. The sunlight filtering through the canopy above became dim, even as the sound of bird calls sounded further away. Replacing it were growls and shrieks. They could be heard off in the distance, adding to the oppressive feeling that hung heavy in the air.

  When Edan mentioned it to Sanik his father grunted in agreement.

  “It’s almost the Season of Storms,” Sanik explained as he looked out towards the jungle. “Once the Precur-sorry, the flare calves, inject Vitalis into Terra, marking the turning of the season, this place with become flooded with beasts hopped up on energy.”

  “Thanks, Dad. It's not like I went to school to learn that." Edan laughed before nudging his father playfully to take the sting from his words. "How long do you think we have?”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  “Couple of days? A couple of weeks?” Sanik shrugged. “It’s hard to tell. You’ve got your System unlocked now, so you’ll receive a regional quest when it does.”

  Edan knew about that as well. Accompanying the Beast tides was usually a subjugation quest. In Stratta it wasn’t worth taking part, as the sects and guilds controlled the wilds around the city and limited access to the fields, but out here… Edan had no idea what to expect.

  Not that it was something he needed to worry about. They would likely be long gone by then.

  Ahead, Tish and Reema had stopped, the small apprentice gesturing down a trail that was almost overgrown with vegetation. They exchanged a few words, too low for Edan to hear, before Reema moved back to relay the conversation to the rest of the group.

  “Adept Tarik has a garden along this trail, and Tish is certain he would not have passed this way without stopping to check in on them. She thinks we should take a look before continuing on. Just in case.”

  “How far is the garden?” Sanik asked.

  “She says around twenty minutes. It’s not far.”

  “She knows her master better than I,” Gem said, adding her thoughts to the mix. “If she thinks it’s worth checking, I’m not going to say no.”

  Reema looked to Tali and Edan, but both just nodded. Edan nearly knocked Regal from his shoulders with the movement, causing the bear's claws to dig into his scalp as the cub tried not to fall off.

  When they got to the end of the trail, there wasn’t much garden left. The ground was disturbed, with great clumps of soil overturned. Tish gasped and rushed forward, almost tripping on a mound of soil. She righted herself and dashed from spot to spot. Occasionally she would hold up a dead plant, now withered and brown, before muttering something and moving on.

  Edan nudged Tali’s elbow and nodded towards an old shed off to the side. The wooden door hung off its hinges and grooves, like the scratch marks made by a very persistent cat, marked its surface. Edan pushed the door aside and peered into the room. The interior was modest, its floor covered in tools and boxes that had tipped over. Other than the mess and a few empty shelves, there was nothing of interest there.

  Shaking his head at Gem and Sanik as they looked at him curiously, the group huddled together as Tish continued to walk around in a daze.

  Eventually, Reema went to her. She spoke quietly to the woman before putting an arm around her shoulders and gently leading her from the fields, back down the trail.

  “Think the adept destroyed his own garden?” Edan asked the group in general.

  It was Gem who answered.

  “That would be like a smith destroying his…well smithy. Or me destroying the Sea Crystal. Not happening. Something destroyed it. Whether it has anything to do with his disappearance is the question.”

  “Claw marks on the door looked thin, but they were deep, and a lot.”

  Gem nodded at Edan’s input.

  The path twisted to the left, likely following the river in the distance. Reema and Tish stood near the bend waiting for everyone else to catch up. Once they did, Reema looked at Tish, waiting to see if the quiet girl would speak up, but when she didn’t Reema stepped forward.

  “From what Tish knows, Adept Tarik thought the Hrovath tree was deeper into the jungle, right off the turn in the path. We’ll need to move away from the path here. Once we get under the canopy, it should be dark enough for me to scout ahead, which means I’m leaving Tish’s safety to you two. I'm talking to you two, Sanik and Edan.”

  Sanik saluted smartly before blowing his wife a kiss. Tish actually looked like she smiled when she saw it. As if shocked with herself for showing emotion, she ducked her head back down and studied her toes, leaving Edan to shake his head sadly.

  He knew what it was like to be shy, and the last thing Edan wanted to do was push her. Edan just hoped Tish would eventually come out of her shell. As much as Edan wasn't going to admit it to his mother, it would be nice to have someone around his own age to hang out with.

  Tali was forced to take up the rear as they moved off the beaten path. The jungle was overgrown and thick enough that the Titan had to clear a path for herself using a stone axe she grew from the ground.

  Giving them all a last warning to be careful, Reema’s form became wreathed in shadows as she faded from sight.

  Once Reema vanished. Gem took point, moving Tish back so she was closer to Sanik and Edan.

  Edan gave the woman a polite smile, but his thoughts were elsewhere. He was trying to remember what he knew about Hrovath trees. Admittedly, it wasn’t much.

  He did know they were migratory as saplings and tended to put down roots only when they found the richest source of nourishment. That meant they often grew closest to places of power rich in Nature or Life Vitalis.

  “Hrovath trees are used by crafters, right?” Edan asked his father but laughed as the older man shrugged his shoulders.

  Surprisingly, it was Tish who answered, though Edan had to strain to hear her voice.

  “Mature Hrovath trees have wood rich with Vitalis. Its wood is often prized by crafters or enchanters, but the fruit is what everyone wants.”

  “It has a fruit?” Edan asked, hoping to keep her talking.

  “Yes. Everything about the fruit is marvelous. If you dry the skin, it creates a parchment capable of holding scribe work, or enchantments. The flesh of the fruit is rich in the principles of nature Vitalis and can be consumed by someone who follows a similar path for enlightenment. Even the seed is useful!" Tish was getting more animated the longer she talked, her voice rising. She even gained the courage to look Edan in the eyes. "The seed is toxic to cultivators but can be ground up and added to compost to-”

  “Silence!” Tali barked, cutting off Tish and making the small girl hunch in on herself.

  The Titan ignored the botanist in training's flinch and Edan's glare. Her amber eyes flickered around the forest. Ahead, Gem stood still, her head cocked to the side. It took Edan a second to figure out why. It was the silence. There were no sounds from the forest around them. No call of birds. No distance growls of animals fighting. Not even the ever-present buzz of insects.

  Sanik pulled Tish close to him, his rapier appearing in his hand.

  Edan drew his dangers from his back.

  Movement!

  Reema appeared out of the shadow of a tree. She stumbled, something pulling at her clothes. There was a cut along her cheek, up past her ear, that bled profusely.

  “Run!” She screamed.

  Sanik used [Flutter Step] and appeared next to her, his hand outstretched for hers. He was too slow.

  A tendril wrapped around Reema’s ankle and pulled her to the ground. She hit hard.

  Sanik grabbed at her but with a final scream, Reema was dragged back into the forest.