Everything was fading from his mind.
Colin stumbled around, feeling like the world was tilting. Shiro saw it and stretched out to full length, catching him in the leg from one side. Colin put a hand on his wolfcat, realizing it was the first time he'd actually seen Shiro change sizes, and tried to steady his breathing.
It was like running for a while and then coming to a sudden stop. It was like everything that had been moving so fast suddenly slowed to a crawl.
{I had no idea Foresters had this kind of power.}
More than just authority over the Wilds, joining minds with one of the Lords of the Wilds was a staggering experience.
{Maybe I should have tried mind-joining with the boar lord, or something… Kyubia is WAY too intelligent.}
But how did he…? What exactly happened back there?!
For a short time, their minds had joined. She shared his knowledge and understanding of humans. He shared her thoughts and powers. Even after they disconnected, the echo of it had hung around while he considered what to do with the Forest now that all this had happened.
That echo didn't last very long. It was fading when he called Lucy. Now, it was gone entirely.
{Still… I remember what I did, what I thought. My mind was so clear. Now it feels like my head's foggy or something.}
At least he remembered what he wanted to do.
"Beavers. I need beavers." Colin said to himself. "And moles. Lots of moles. And Megants. And squirrels. I need to fill the forest, and gather a few new clans."
Colin called Satrox.
***
Satrox sounded relieved to hear from him. "Colin! I was wondering when you'd get to me."
"Satrox, I need either a new airport, or a way to use the seaport safely. If that means wiping out the Scopic Pirates, then let's do it."
"Whoa, Colin, slow down! Haven't you wiped out enough settlements for one night?"
"I need to move fast. And Satrox… I've taken sides." Colin told him about his plan with Silvero and Lucy.
"You're backing the Protectorate? I was going more for the Republic myself."
"Sorry." Colin said. "But I trust Lucy to keep the forest clean. I don't know anyone in the Republic I can count on."
"You can count on Sora. He's a decent chap. But let's deal with that later. What's this about airports and seaports?"
"I need to do some large-scale imports."
"How large?"
"A few hundred Wilds."
Satrox whistled. "Wilds? Not Tames?"
"Wilds. I'm a Forester, remember?"
"Okay, that definitely rules out Wind Knight transport."
"That's why I'm calling you."
"Me? How in the world am I supposed to help you with something like that?!"
"Is anyone going to build a new airport soon?"
"No. Last I checked, the only new building going on was your idea. Three new towns by the Protectorate, right?"
"Right…" Colin said. "What about the seaport? Can I get a shipment from Frichi or Maro past the pirates?"
"You've seen Scopia in action. What do you think?"
"I think if you came along, we might be able to."
"It's got to be a big ship if you're counting on only one to handle everything. Too big for me to guard by myself. You'd need a whole team of Knights to guard a ship that big."
"I solved the civil war for you, didn't I? Couldn't you and the others help me out in return?"
Satrox paused. "Colin… the war's not over. Something weird's going on. I think the Union's joined hands with the Underground and the Republic's in trouble."
"I thought the Protectorate and the Republic were getting friendly. Why not ask the Protectorate for help?"
"Some of them, yes. But as factions, there's still a lot of disagreements. Besides, the Protectorate's too busy building new towns to help out old enemies."
"Why are {you} siding the Republic?" Colin wanted to know. "I thought you threatened to destroy Windy Plains."
"That was part of the plan." Satrox said. "I simply wanted them to attack the airport. I never intended to destroy a whole town. J-Knights get kicked out of the Order for doing things like that. Just ask Scarlet."
"Then I guess I'm going to get kicked out of the Order."
"Almost definitely, yeah. But you knew that, didn't you?"
"I didn't really think about it. Right now all I really care about is my shipment."
"What about Iylara? Think the Ocean Princess can help?"
Colin remembered."Maybe. How do I contact her?"
"Give me half an hour and I'll meet you somewhere. We'll go visit her together." Satrox cut the link.
***
Half an hour. {What should I do…?} Colin wondered.
Everything still seemed so weird after joining minds with Kyubia for a while. He turned to look at the Starstreak Fox again, all black with that silver streak down her back.
Kyubia, not surprisingly, was watching him. She greeted him softly. "Arf." [Colin.]
"Arf." Colin replied. [Kyubia.]
"Arr..af." Kyubia told him. [I'm moving my clan.]
"Arf?" Colin blinked. [Why? Where?]
"Arf, arf." [Here.] Kyubia answered. [I'm bringing us as close to you as I can.]
Colin put a hand over his heart. "Arf." [I'm glad.]
"Arf, arf." [You seem troubled.]
"Arf." [I am.] Colin agreed. "Arrr… raf… arf, arf..." [After mind-joining you like that… no, actually, even before that, when I saw you all getting hurt…]
Kyubia walked over and nuzzled Colin with her nose, wrapping a tail around him. She made a low, warm sound of acceptance in the lower part of her throat. [Thank you.]
Foxie stared at them both, seemingly in shock.
"Yip." Shiro nudged her. Foxie shook her head mutely.
"Arf…" [Friend…] Kyubia nudged Colin again. "Arf, arf, arf?" [Do you wish to discourage people from the forest?]
"Arf." [For now.] Colin answered.
Kyubia made a suggestion. "Arrrr… raf." [Then the treasure must be removed.]
"Arf?"Colin blinked. [What treasure?]
Kyubia explained it in a series of short and long barks. [The treasure of the Dark Forest. It must be removed.]
"Arf?" [How shall we do this?]
"Arf." [I'll bring you.]
Colin paused. "Arf. Arf arf." [Oh wait. I'm to meet someone soon.]
Kyubia looked at him expectantly.
Colin called Satrox back. "Hey, Satrox… can you give me a couple of hours instead of half?"
"Sure." Satrox sounded relieved. "That gives me more time too. Two hours, then."
Colin cut the link and turned to Kyubia.
"Arf." [Let's go.]
***
Colin walked into the maze known as the Dark Forest and shook his head. "We should get rid of the maze. The whole forest is a dungeon now, not just this maze. We're taking the treasures out of it anyway."
"Yip." Shiro sounded uncertain.
They went deeper into the maze. It was a simple place, designed more for fights than to test wits. Colin greeted the dozens of Wilds that roamed the place, seeing friends instead of enemies, even those his Comrades had fought before. They were all friends now, and treated him as such. One fierce looking falcon even invited him to see her new hatchlings at her nest.
Yachad was waiting at the Heart of the Dark Forest. He was surprised to see them there. "Riaooo?" [Kyubia? Is it your turn to guard the treasure already?]
Kyubia shook her head. "Arf." [We're moving the treasure.]
"Riao?" [Where to?]
Kyubia glanced at Colin.
Colin thought about it. "How about Lost Paradise?"
Kyubia hesitated. "Arf?" [Are you sure?]
"What's wrong?"
Kyubia took a while to bark her explanation. [The Wilds at Lost Paradise do not answer to you. They are stronger than we, and less friendly. Still… if you wish to cover that area with forest, they should be told, and allowed to join us.]
"Who rules Lost Paradise?" Colin questioned.
[No one.] Kyubia explained in barks. [It was once a human town that was destroyed and abandoned in war. Wilds have taken it over. I believe they have formed their own clans.]
"Then let's see if their clans want to join the forest." Colin suggested. "Otherwise, we'll leave their ruins unforested and hand the treasure to one of their clan lords."
"Riao." Yachad put in. [Call the Twig Lizards.]
Colin blinked. "Call Lather? Why?"
"Riao…" Yachad said. [They're closer to the Wilds at Lost Paradise.]
"Right…" Colin said, picking up the 'treasure', a purple gem shaped like a heart as big as his own head. Something shifted around Colin, and the maze itself seemed to sway a little, but he ignored it, thinking that he was going to send the treasure somewhere else anyway. "Let's go."
***
Lather, the green-white Cluster Twig Lizard who was the Lord of the Twig Lizard Clan, brought six of his biggest guys with him, all of them as big as cars but still a little smaller than Lather himself.
"I feel like I'm walking with dinosaurs." Colin mentioned. "These guys look the part."
Lather seemed to take it as a compliment. He grinned at Colin. "Ssss." [Handsome aren't we?]
"Riao." Yachad laughed. He brought a few of his bigger clan members too, all big wildcats of the same size as Lather's lizards, every one of them looking like they were made of wood, even though they had fur. He glanced at Kyubia.
Kyubia didn't bring any of her clan at all. The only other Streak Fox with them was Foxie, Colin's own Comrade.
But Colin remembered what he and Kyubia had been able to do against an organized force just by themselves. Just the two of us are enough to scare an entire army of men.
"Arf." Kyubia picked Colin up with one of her tails and put him on her back. [We'll move faster like this.]
They passed through the thinner forests left around Floras ruins, and then once they passed the forests, they took off running. Out in the open, big cats and big lizards at his side, taking a ride on a ten-foot tall black fox with nine tails, Colin had to laugh for the sheer thrill of it as they thundered freely with nothing but endless miles in front of them and nobody daring to stand in their way.
We're creatures of the forests, all of us, but once in a while, a good run over clear land is fun.
They went around the southern mountains and raced between the mountains and the beach. It didn't take long before the ruins known as Lost Paradise was within sight, and with it…
"Oh." Colin stared, as they slowed down to a stop. "Now I know why everyone thinks going in there is suicide. You were right to call the Twig Lizards, Yachad."
"Riao." Yachad agreed.
Lost Paradise had been taken over by dinosaurs.
***
Lather led the group in as they neared Lost Paradise. He brought them past Tri-horns and Spike-backs, greeted Ridge-spines and Sharp-claws.
Everything here was big. Colin gulped. The Wilds that Lather and Yachad had brought were pretty much normal size around here. The smaller dinosaurs were half their size, which was bigger than most Comrades Colin had ever seen outside of this place. The bigger ones were larger than buses, larger than Rustle, the Bristle Boar Lord. Some of them were as big as Deeproot, the Oakin Lord, and he was a walking tree taller than houses.
"Arf." Kyubia warned him. [These are the common ones. The Lords are bigger.]
"Arf." Colin admitted. [I'd hate to come in here without you guys. Fighting any of these fellows is a scary thought.]
Kyubia wrapped a tail around him. "Arf." [Don't worry. We're neighbors. We're not here to fight, and they know it.]
As they neared the edges of the ruined town, Lather changed directions sharply and went down a huge tunnel. This place was filled with Spike-backs, dinosaurs like tall turtles with spikes all over their shells and tails with that ended with heavy balls of more spikes. Lather spoke with the dinos in the tunnels and they were allowed through.
"Why are we here?" Colin asked.
Yachad took some time to explain it to him.
"So basically…" Colin paused. "This treasure needs to be guarded by a certain level of Wilds. We're looking for a place to put the treasure that is roughly as hard to reach as the center of Dark Forest Maze."
"Riao." Yachad nodded. He explained some more.
This place was actually easier to reach, needing less fighting, but the Wilds here were stronger than the Dark Forest Wilds. It should, in the end, balance out.
Colin gulped. "I didn't even think about that…"
He called Satrox, just to be sure that what he was doing was okay. "Satrox! Hey, is it all right to move the treasure of Dark Forest to somewhere more or less as hard to reach?"
Satrox was stunned into silence. "Move the treasure…?! Where are you taking it?"
"Lost Paradise. Not the ruins itself, one of the dens just outside it. The Spike-back den."
"Spike-backs…" Satrox trailed off. "Well… I guess it should be okay, as long as everyone knows where it's gone. I'd hate to go all the way into the Dark Forest looking for it only to find it's not there. As it is, you're going to make that Spike-back den the shortest but hardest-fought way for someone to reach Purple Badge."
"Purple Badge…?!" Colin stared. "What are you talking about?!"
"The treasure of Dark Forest." Satrox said. "Didn't you know? It's a Purple Heart Dungeon."
Colin looked down at the huge gem he was carrying, purple and shaped like a heart. "What's it {for}?"
"It's the second way someone can get to Purple Badge ranking." Satrox said.
"It's WHAT?!"
Colin saw now. Looking down as he was, he couldn't miss it. His badge had turned as purple as the gem.
"There are different ways to go up the ranking, remember? For example to get to Blue Badge, the easiest way is to get 30 mission points and 300 levels between all your Comrades. I think you'd get there in a couple more missions." Satrox mentioned. "You almost got that at Crabby Island before giving half your Comrades to Katrin."
"I know." Colin nodded. He remembered.
"You can also do the Seven Gems quest, which involves Traveling around a few continents." Satrox said. "Finishing it gets you to Blue Badge no matter how many mission points you have. It's an alternative for those who prefer trading to missions. Then there's a third way, which is one Comrade above level 250. It's very rare, though, I only know one guy who did it."
"Who?" Colin wanted to know.
"Shinji. He did it with Rain in his third cycle."
"Third cycle?" Colin blinked.
"Never mind. We're talking about the Purple Heart Dungeons, remember?" Satrox pointed out. "Up to blue, there were three ways to climb the ranks. But there are only two ways to reach Purple Badge ranking. The easier way is to get 100 mission points and have 800 total levels between all your Comrades."
"And the harder way?" Colin asked, though he could already guess.
"Get the treasure at the end of a Purple Heart Dungeon. Just touch the Purple Heart. It sounds easy as pie, but it's really extremely hard. Those dungeons are normally guarded by unbelievably strong Wilds, and they don't even stay the same! They seem to keep changing! You don't even know what's going to be guarding it until it attacks you."
Colin remembered Yachad asking Kyubia if it was her turn to guard the treasure. {The Lords of the Wilds guard the Purple Hearts. No wonder it's hard to get to. And they take turns, so nobody knows WHAT they'll be facing at the end of the dungeon.}
"Okay…" Colin gulped. "So what happens if I move the Purple Heart to somewhere else?"
"Well, assuming you manage to get to the end of one of those dungeons at all… which you probably won't…" Satrox was saying. "And brought it to the Spike-back den… I guess the Den becomes the next Purple Heart Dungeon and the Dark Forest is just a forest."
"Would it make people lose interest in entering the forest?" Colin wanted to know.
"Of course. It's the most important reason people go to West Lamico Forest in the first place."
Lather and a really huge Spike-back were approaching Colin now. Colin handed the Purple Heart to Kyubia, who passed it on to Lather, who in turn handed it to the Lord of the Spike-back Wilds.
Colin paused. "Satrox… how do I tell everyone what I've done with the Purple Heart?"
Satrox didn't answer for about ten seconds. "What you've… {done}?! You mean, you already…?!"
"Yes. It's already done." Colin told him. "The Purple Heart that used to be in Dark Forest is now in the Den of the Spike-back dinosaurs."
"Oh mercy… I've got to tell everyone…" Satrox choked.
"Can I leave it to you to spread the word?" Colin asked hopefully.
Satrox groaned. "Colin… how many things are you going to change in one night?"
"Sorry." Colin winced.
Satrox sighed. "I'll handle it. You just… sit down and stop changing everything!"
"Thanks, Satrox." Colin said, cutting the link.
"Arf." Kyubia nudged Colin. [The Spike-back lord is inviting us for a drink.]
"Arf." Colin smiled. [Sounds good.]
Colin sat down and stopped changing things for a while.