Three days had passed since the goblin incident. Elise and her squad of archer and another knight had joined Harold's party, blending two groups with vastly different goals. Over a campfire, Elise explained her mission: she sought a mandrake, a rare and monstrous plant necessary for her Lady's special condition. Harold wanted to help, but the weight of Ray's life-ticking away with every moment-left him torn.
Merle was the first to offer a solution. "Why not split up?" she suggested confidently. "One group helps Elise, while the other continues the phoenix quest."
Harold frowned. "Splitting up weakens us. What if something happens?"
Merle met his gaze, cool, calm and confident. "We can handle it. Especially if Trina is with us. She's a scout and an assassin-tracking monsters is second nature to her. And with her being part of the- you know, she's familiar with the kind of environments mandrakes thrive in. It'll go faster."
Trina, standing at the edge of the firelight, gave a small nod. "It's true. Once we're done, we can use one of Merle's trackers to locate your group. You won't lose us."
Harold hesitated, the flickering firelight casting shadows across his face. Finally, after Merle's reassurances and Trina's confidence, he accepted. "Fine. But be careful. Both of you."
The next morning, the group split into two. Harold, Edward, and Maggie headed toward the Valley of Death-a dangerous region classified as an upper-four zone on the adventurers' scale. A place teeming with A-tier monsters, and if the rumors held any truth, perhaps an S-tier beyond the valley's cliffs. Few dared to tread there.
Merle, Trina, and Elise's squad of three women ventured deeper into the forest, their goal the swampy habitats where mandrakes were most often found.
Merle's group moved through the forest with ease, the air thick with moisture and the pungent smell of decaying plant life. Trina led the way, her sharp eyes scanning every movement, every rustling leaf. "Mandrakes thrive in swamps and bogs," she murmured, pointing ahead. "That direction looks promising."
As they delved deeper, the forest grew darker and wetter. The ground beneath them turned soft, sucking at their boots. It wasn't long before they encountered the creatures that called these murky depths home. Rootlings-gnarled, animated trees-shambled toward them, their twisted limbs clawing through the air. Merle's earth spell cleaved through one, its wooden body collapsing into splinters.
Next came the faint glow of will-o'-the-wisps, hovering like ghostly lanterns. Elise's squad dispatched them with solid coordination, their movements flowing as they channeled their magic and blades. Bog serpents slithered from the murk, their eyes screaming with hunger, only to fall to Trina's swift daggers.
The final obstacle was a fungal golem, its massive, spongy body covered in toxic spores. It lumbered toward them, but Merle charged forward, her hands casting a powerful wind spell. Elise and her team flanked it, their combined efforts bringing the creature down in a shower of spores and muck.
The deeper they ventured, the more it became clear they were on the right path. These monsters were all part of the mandrake's ecosystem, a sign of its proximity.
Then it came-a piercing, shrill cry that froze them all in place. The sound was unnatural, reverberating through the swamp like a thousand wails at once. Trina's eyes widened. "That's it. A mandrake."
Before they could react, the ground beneath them began to shift. Vines slithered through the muck like serpents, their movements unnervingly deliberate. One lashed out, wrapping around Merle's ankle, then another coiled around Elise's arm.
"Careful!" Trina shouted, drawing her blade and slicing at a vine, only for it to regrow instantly.
The vines tightened, their touch draining warmth and strength from their bodies. They weren't just immobilizing them-they were feeding.
The vines coiled tighter, their surfaces rough and pulsating with a sinister energy as if alive. Merle gritted her teeth, the earthy scent of the swamp mingling with the metallic tang of her sweat. "That's Enough!" she roared, slamming her palm to the ground. The earth beneath them trembled as spikes of hardened rock erupted upward, severing the vines and sending them recoiling like wounded serpents.
The mandrake's wail echoed again, shrill and haunting, as more vines burst forth, weaving a living net around the group. The massive root system rippled, revealing the creature's main body-a grotesque amalgamation of plant and flesh, its face vaguely human-like but distorted in agony. Its eyes glowed with a baleful green light, and its jaw opened wide to emit another paralyzing screech.
"Cover your ears!" Elise shouted, her voice barely cutting through the noise. She rushed forward, her enchanted sword igniting with a vibrant golden hue. Slashing through a mass of vines, she created a path for her squad.
Trina vanished into the shadows, her form dissolving as she activated her Shadow Walk. She reappeared behind the mandrake's main body, her twin daggers glowing faintly with an aura of dark energy. With a swift motion, she plunged them deep into the creature's core. The mandrake screeched again, this time in pain, as the vines whipped around wildly, searching for their attacker.
The magic archer, perched on a nearby tree branch, loosed a flurry of arrows tipped with explosion spells. Each hit detonated on impact, creating small bursts of fire that scorched the thrashing vines. Her companion, the other knight, held the front line with Elise, her shield forming a wall against the onslaught of tendrils.
Merle stepped back, raising her hands. The air around her crackled as she channeled a spell. Her voice was grounded despite the chaos. "Burn it down." Flames erupted from her palms, roaring to life and spreading across the mandrake's sprawling body.
For a moment, it seemed victory was within reach. The mandrake's movements slowed, its vines shriveling in the intense heat. But then the ground beneath them quaked violently, and a shadow loomed over the battlefield.
A massive, chitinous leg crashed down, smashing through the flaming vines and scattering the party. From the darkness emerged a pitfall spider, its grotesque body towering over the mandrake. Eight glittering eyes reflected the dim swamp light, and venom dripped from its glistening fangs. The mandrake shrieked in defiance, but it was futile.
The spider's legs moved with terrifying speed, piercing through the mandrake's core in one swift motion. It lifted the plant monster effortlessly, its fangs sinking deep into the flesh-like base. The mandrake's glow dimmed as its life force was drained in seconds, its vines falling limp.
The pitfall spider discarded the mandrake's husk, turning its gaze to Merle's group.
"Scatter!" Elise barked, diving to the side just as one of the spider's legs slammed into the spot she'd been standing.
The archer fired a volley of arrows, but the spider's armored carapace deflected them effortlessly. Trina darted between its legs, her daggers flashing as she targeted the vulnerable joints. She managed to slice through a tendon, causing the spider to stagger, but its speed was relentless.
Merle slammed her hands together chanting, summoning a powerful gust of wind that pushed the spider back momentarily. "Keep it off balance!" she shouted, switching to water magic. A torrent of water erupted from her palms, dousing the creature and slowing its movements.
Elise and her knight companion charged in tandem, their swords glowing with magical energy. They aimed for the underbelly, where the armor was weakest. Their blades struck, ichor spilling from the wounds, but the spider retaliated with a furious swipe of its legs, sending them both sprawling.
Trina emerged from the shadows again, her daggers coated with a paralyzing venom. She leapt onto the spider's back, driving the blades into the base of its head. The creature thrashed wildly, trying to shake her off.
Merle took advantage of the distraction, summoning a boulder from the ground. With a roar, she hurled it toward the spider, the massive rock striking its side and sending it crashing to the ground.
The archer seized the opportunity, firing a precisely aimed arrow into one of the creature's eyes. The spider screeched, its legs flailing as it attempted to rise.
"Now!" Merle shouted.
Elise and the knight charged again, their weapons glowing brighter than ever. In a synchronized strike, they plunged their blades into the spider's exposed underbelly. With a final, ear-splitting shriek, the pitfall spider collapsed, its legs curling inward as it succumbed to its injuries.
The swamp fell silent, except for the heavy breaths of the group. Trina slid down from the spider's back, her daggers dripping with ichor. Merle leaned against a tree, her mana reserves nearly depleted.
"That… was intense," the archer muttered, lowering her bow.
Elise nodded, wiping sweat and grime from her face. "We need to collect what we came for and move. There's no telling what else might show up."
Merle crouched beside the lifeless mandrake, its eerie green glow pulsing faintly like a dying ember. She carefully extracted its intact root system, holding it up triumphantly. "Got it. Let's get out of here."
"No, that won't work," Trina interjected sharply, her voice cutting through the moment.
Merle blinked, caught off guard. "What do you mean?"
Trina's crimson gaze flicked to the mandrake's wilted form, her tone matter-of-fact. "Mandrakes feed on life force. Once they die, their magical properties fade almost immediately. This one will be useless in less than thirty minutes."
Elise's stomach dropped at the revelation. "Then… what do we do? We can't exactly stumble across another one in time, and we've already risked so much for this one."
Trina took a step forward, her expression calm but resolute. "I have a solution, but you'll need to trust me." She knelt beside the mandrake, drawing a small blade from her belt.
The others watched warily as she sliced her palm, the blood dripping from her hand glistening in the dim light of the swamp. Without hesitation, she let her blood drip into the mandrake's gaping mouth and began to chant in a harsh foreign language.
Elise stiffened, her body tensing as recognition dawned. "That's… that's dark magic," she hissed, her hand instinctively gripping the hilt of her sword. "Only demons or witches can use magic like that."
Her companions mirrored her unease, weapons half-drawn, their eyes locked on Trina with a mix of suspicion and fear.
Merle raised a hand, her voice firm but understanding. "Hold on. She's doing this for you. Stand down."
Though they reluctantly sheathed their weapons, the hostility in their eyes didn't waver.
The mandrake shuddered, its limp vines twitching as Trina's chanting reached its climax. A moment later, its glow flared brightly, and it began to move once more, its twisted, flesh-like face turning toward Trina with uncanny obedience.
"There," Trina said, rising to her feet. Her voice was even, her hand still dripping blood. "It's under my control now. It won't harm you. Take it to your lady-quickly. Its energy will remain intact as long as it's bound to me."
Elise hesitated, her mind racing. The sight of dark magic and Trina's casual use of it unnerved her deeply. But reason began to prevail. The same woman who had fought beside them against the pitfall spider, risking her life for their mission, had no reason to betray them now.
Taking a deep breath, Elise nodded. "Thank you… I'll trust you on this."
With the mandrake revived and bound, it was time to part ways. The two groups gathered their belongings and prepared to move on.
"Thank you again," Elise said, her voice tinged with reluctant gratitude. "I owe you."
Merle grinned. "Don't mention it. Just make sure you get that thing to your lady in time."
The teams exchanged brief farewells before going their separate ways, Elise and her group heading back toward their kingdom while Merle and Trina prepared to rejoin Harold and the others.
Merle walked briskly, her spirits high despite the fatigue of battle. "That was quick! Come on, Trina, we'll catch up with the others in no time."
Trina, who had been trailing slightly behind, stopped abruptly. Her crimson eyes met Merle's violet ones, hesitation blanketed her face.
"I don't think I can continue with you on this quest," Trina said softly, her voice unusually distant.
Merle froze, her excitement dimming. "What? Why?"
Trina looked away, her expression unreadable. "I… need to return home. There's something I have to take care of. I'm sorry."
Before Merle could respond, Trina turned and began walking south, her form disappearing into the dense shadows of the swamp.
Merle stood rooted in place, confused and concerned. But after a moment, she sighed and adjusted her stance. Whatever Trina's reasons were, they would have to wait.
"I'll see you again, Trina," she murmured to herself before continuing toward the direction of Harold and the others.