The fourth nation in the world, Leigrix. Shared its borders with Galestadine, Leigrix was known for being the city of medicine with all the medical advancements in the world originating from the nation and the nation alone.
Even though they shared their borders, resources, and manpower. Leigrix and Galestadine weren't on good terms with each other, though they shared manpower this was all when creating monuments, though they shared resources this was only during the trading season, and even though they shared borders. Not one person from Leigrix could set foot in Galestadine.
Today's commission was duller than the others, even though something could go wrong and it'll become just as adventurous as the guys sent to Nox. The probability of that happening would be low.
"Client's name is Gasef Bainsley, we're supposed to meet him at the market circle in Tavar." Draco'nel told his group of misfits. Although they hadn't said anything Draco'nel was acting as their leader and looking at his teammates from a leaders standpoint made him sad.
Hiakam has said verbally on countless occasions that he was only here for the money. Emma was way too stuck up and said she won't fight unless the client is worthy and Micah slept for most of the trip. Would this group really be okay?
"What's the client even supposed to look like," Hiakam asked as they approached the market circle.
"By the description on the request. Short, dark hair, and he'll be wearing a white robe." Draco'nel sighed after reading the last part. "It seems he either wants to become a priest or he wants us to find him easier."
"Oh mommy no....don't take the sword...out of the frying pan," Micah muttered in his sleep.
Draco'nel had known Micah since they were born, which wasn't an over-exaggeration. They were born in the same hospital and on the same night. Some say Micah was born to be Draco'nel's guardian angel of sorts but with the way the white-haired boy turned out. Draco'nel was a hundred percent sure he was the one guarding him.
Hiakam looked at Micah who slept on the floor and wanted to mess with him before he saw Emma pass his peripheral view. She was pretty, her clothes were gorgeous and the same could be said about her long golden hair. He knew he didn't have a chance with her and he was completely fine with it, just looking at her walk by was enough.
"Is that the pip-squeak?" Emma said while pointing at a kid in a white robe who fit the description Draco'nel told her.
"We have our client." Draco'nel dragged Micah up and carried him on his shoulder, despite being only seventeen of age. Draco'nel was blessed with a sturdier figure than most.
"Let's just do this and get over it, my stomach needs pork roast asap." Hiakam held his gut as it growled at him.
He didn't really know what he was expecting, the request said the client 'Gasef Bainsley' was short but he didn't need glasses to know Gasef bainsley was an actual eight-year-old. This was an illegal request on its own, you'd have to be fourteen or older to lodge an official request without coming to Vancrest. Since Vancrest didn't ask for the details of escort commissions, little kids could request the help of hunters for mundane reasons such as finding a lost cat.
"Please sorry for any misunderstanding I might cause, but can you please tell me your name?" Draco'nel asked as he looked the kid dead in the eye, he could detect deceit. A trait he picked up watching politicians while growing up.
"I'm Gasef Bainsley, I assume you're the hunters I requested for?" His little voice could not be taken seriously no matter how hard he tried.
"Look kid, we hunters are packed up as it is. Maybe this was a mistake from Gladius or Vancrest. It doesn't matter at this point, where do you live let's take you back to your parents."
"Jua," Gasef uttered.
Everyone turned to him but only Draco'nel talked. "What did you say?"
"The jua fruit, I need it to cure my father's illness."
"The jua fruit, if memory serves me right it's kinda like a cure-all. Treats incurable diseases and all that," Draco'nel put his hand on his chin. "If you needed the Jua fruit why not file a commission at Leigrix's hunter guild?"
"The only place jua can be found is on the outskirts of the city and if you don't know. Leigrix and Galestadine aren't the best of terms, hunters say that they won't do the job because it takes them too close into Galestadine, and the ones that actually agree charge ten times more." Gasef took a bill out of his pocket and handed it to Draco'nel. "Please that's all I have, help me save my father's life."
"And you can't buy jua fruit extracts with an amount such as this," Draco'nel put the money in his pockets. "Okay little man, we'll help you."
"Thank you so much, Thank you so much." Gasef covered his face with his hands trying to wipe the tears before they were created and with red eyes and a leaky nose, Gasef smiled. "Let's make haste for the forest of Balza, there's an entrance there we can use to enter that doesn't have many guards around the perimeter."
"Are we really doing this?" Emma held Draco'nel's arm. "What if this is a test from Emirus."
He had considered that possibility already and he had strengthened his resolve. "If that happens, I Draco'nel Drauvagast will shoulder all responsibility."
The forest of Balza was the only part of Leigrix that connected to Galestadine by default, the thick woods were haunted or at least that's what some of the locals think. Wood from the forest can't be used to create anything, if sheeted into paper, the paper slowly crumbles, and if sheeted into logs for building. The building slowly deteriorates and when they cut down each tree to eliminate the forest the entire thing grew back the next day.
Of course at the edge of the forest's end, the side that led into Galestadine. Guards camped there 24/7, catching a citizen of Leigrix in Galestadine will be the perfect reason to start a war between the two nations.
"Kinda dark isn't it," Hiakam said as he kept his hand tight on his spear. "Does the whatever fruit even still grow here and what should it even look like."
"Well, it's red." Draco'nel replied.
"And it's in clusters." Gasef added.
"You literally just described grapes!." Hiakam shouted while scratching his head.
"Keep it down will you, even if we can be here. There's no reason for the kid to." Emma warned Hiakam.
"That reminds me, why is the kid here?"
"Cause I'm the only one who knows how to spot a good jua fruit from a bad one, and I'm also the only one who knows how to gather them properly." Gasef said casually flexing the knowledge his father imparted onto him as a florist.
"You can pick them improperly?" Hiakam asked.
"Yes, if you don't pluck out each root from the soil the jua fruit will instantly turn into a light green color and its contents will be acidic."
"Wow."
"Oh wait, I think I see one!" Gasef ran towards the brightly colored fruit but stopped immediately after a blade landed in front of him.
"Micah, how long have you been awake." Draco'nel asked Micah who threw the sword at Gasef.
"Your shoulder hurts, I couldn't sleep but I don't think the kid should move." Micah walked toward Gasef slowly. "Not if he values his head of course."
Everyone was confused including Emma, she first thought it was a tripwire but now realized there wasn't a trap in sight. So what was Micah looking at?
"Go back to Uncle Draco'nel," Micah helped Gasef get up before he ran back. "First thing I hate about forests are the surprises." Micah grabbed his sword and pointed at the tree that had the jua fruit on the side.
Everyone looked at the tree for what seemed to be minutes before slowly realizing, that wasn't a tree.....DAEMON.
The daemon had planted its arms into the ground along with its hind legs, it had stayed here so long that moss had grown on its skin but what was more baffling was the fact that the daemon was conscious. If Gasef had gone to pick up the jua fruit from its roots, he would have been daemon chow in less than two seconds.
"Do we ignore it?" Hiakam asked Draco'nel while looking at the size of the tree. "There's no way that's a normal tiger class daemon, something that size has to be lion class or above."
"My guess is above." Draco'nel pushed Gasef behind him and unsheathed his sword. "Are you guys ready?"
"I am not getting paid enough for this," Hiakam mumbled as he got into a stance.
"....." Emma didn't want to fight, if this was a test then anyone who had completed the commission would be punished but... Gasef was worthy. He was worthy of being protected by the blade of a Kilforhlm. "I'm ready."
Draco'nel was shocked, he didn't expect a response from Emma but he was happy he got one. "Dragon class daemon." Mael was beaten to a pulp by one and had to spend a day bathing in healing magic. Draco'nel was scared but he wouldn't let the fear he felt push him away from what he needed to do. "Dragon class daemon, it is your turn to witness the power of a Drauvagast."