Purple Mist Forest.
It was a wide forest where trees stood mightily like towers. And just like the name suggested, the forest was surrounded by a purple mist that got thicker and thicker the more anyone had to go deeper inside. Just like what should normally be felt by anyone, the forest gave off a sense of danger, warning them not to enter.
The Purple Mist Forest was surrounded entirely by towering cliffs, making it appear from the sky that the forest was formed in the huge crater. The cliff was so high that if the weaker ones were to jump from it, their bodies would surely turn into a meat paste.
Somewhere at the edge of the cliff, six kids could be seen standing. Three girls, three boys, all of whom were in their early teens. Their hair fluttered with the wind as they gazed at the distance below the cliff where the purple mist was covering the forest. Their eyes shone in a faint luster pondering deeply with their own. Each of them had different thoughts.
"We've come back here again. I wonder if that damned demon is still here..." Gazing at the Purple Mist Forest on sight, Sael muttered in a low voice. However, his voice carried deep resentment, as if his heart was itching for revenge. Even his eyes couldn't lie as they became sharper and wanted to tear someone into tiny shreds. And to the looks of it, the cause of his resentment was the demon he just mentioned.
A few weeks ago, when he ventured to this place together with a temporary party he had joined before, they unfortunately encountered a terrifying demon. Since he didn't have the power of the "tail symbol" yet, his power was naturally not that much. As a result, he and his entire party of more than twenty people were wiped out as their life essence was sucked dry by the demon.
Thankfully, Dugo arrived at that time. It was then that they met each other.
At death's door, having little to no hope, Sael asked for help from Dugo, who he didn't know. Although he knew that the other party was incapable of doing so, he still asked for help, since that was the only thing he could do.
Even Dugo himself was at a loss at that time. It was also his first time encountering something like that. But then, Dugo had really lost himself, as though he was possessed. But that sudden occurrence allowed him to save Sael with just a drop of his blood.
To make the story short, Sael had been saved by Dugo in this very forest. It was also the reason why they became friends.
"..." Dugo, on the other hand, stood firmly at the edge of the cliff. His gaze fell below as he was reminiscing what happened to them lately in that forest. He came here to find the Portia so that he could cure himself, as he thought that he was a Forsaken One. However, now that she obtained incredible strength, there was no need for him to get the Portia for his own use. Even so, his reason for coming here was still the same as he wanted to find the Portia in this forest. The only difference was that he wanted to find it so that he could give it to a friend who was a real Forsaken One. If he could just give the Portia to her, then probably, he wouldn't be a Forsaken One anymore, as she would finally be able to wield any of the five types of Energy.
"So this is the Purle Mist Forest, huh?" Jenna suddenly spoke. A wide smile was on her lips. This was also her destination even before, when she was still yet to meet Dugo. Her reason was also to find Portia in order to heal her grandfather.
However, with Dugo promising that he could heal her grandfather, he gave up the Portia and decided to help them find it and give it to his friend who was in need of it.
"So, how should we get down?" Lucas, with a bitter smile, asked with his innocent voice. Seeing how high the cliff was, he was afraid that, even with his current strength, he would surely suffer if he jumped down from it.
On top of Lucas' head, a little white fox was sitting. She, too, was looking at the forest below the cliff. But her gaze was rather nonchalant, as though that cliff wasn't really high enough.
"Huh? What are you afraid of? We'll definitely jump down on it!" Jenna, who was standing next to him, replied with a cheerful voice. She didn't feel the slightest fear of how tall the cliff was.
"That..." The bitter smile on Lucas' lips suddenly widened. She couldn't help turning her gaze at Jenna with a confused expression as he added, "We can't possibly do that, right? We should just use those vines instead."
Lucas pointed out the long vines growing at the side of the cliff. It seemed like these vines could reach the very bottom of the cliff.
"Huh? Are you a pussy? Hurry up and jump off!" Jenna retorted coldly. She moved pretty swiftly as she grabbed one of Lucas' hands. After which, she threw him off the cliff, taking the other party by great surprise.
Before he knew what had happened, Lucas could only see that he was falling. Even Lyka, the white fox resting on his head, was as shocked as him as she didn't expect that Jenna would suddenly make such a move. How could that brat do something so vicious?! Lyka was infuriated.
However, she was also helpless as she was now falling from a high altitude together with her master. She could only grind her teeth, glaring at Jenna who was left on top of the cliff with an annoying smile.
"Damn it!" Lyka snorted. He chose to ignore Jenna as she was worried about her master's condition. She shifted her gaze and, sure enough, her master was already crying out loud.
Aaahhhhhh!!!
Lucas screamed at his loudest. Tears came out from the edge of his eyes. He really didn't expect that Jenna would suddenly act so underhanded that she would throw him off the cliff.