As I made my way around the water a certain someone followed me closely. Though he had taken an interest in the oasis it ended much quicker than mine or Ardent's.
After a few more minutes I sighed and turned to face him, "Earnest did you need something?"
He pulled out a wooden training sword and offered it to me, "This location would make a nice backdrop to some practice."
"You really do have a one track mind," I sighed. "Give me another half hour just to sort out some things."
"I'll be waiting," so he said but he continued to follow me regardless.
The time passed as I took samples of the other plant life nearby. I didn't have the equipment to make a complete analysis but they would make a nice present to my teacher when I eventually returned home. She was always hunting for rare ingredients.
Once I was done I flexed my muscles and prepared for the inevitable pain.
"Okay Earnest I'm ready," I took the sword from him and threw my jacket to the cart.
"Assume your stance," he held his own sword towards me. I did as I was told and not a second after he struck. The force of the blow rung through my sword and into my body. I had barely been able to block but even doing so paralysed my muscles.
"This strike is one to attack the body without touching. Do not take the force all at once but direct it away. Parry the blow do not block," he stepped forward and swung again. I deflected the blow. "Good keep this up and try attack back."
And so while Ardent peacefully stood at the edge of the oasis humming and weaving his magic I was being chased in circles practically diving away from Earnest's eager training. Let alone fighting back it was barely all I could do to escape.
He laughed, "As always I must commend you Rain, your talent to run away is truly beyond that of an average swordsman."
"Th-thanks," I breathed tiredly.
"Now come at me!" he welcomed me and opened his stance.
I grimaced. I was getting sick of being beaten and just once I wanted to land a hit on him. He stepped forward and I dashed in response, my sword pointed straight for a thrust. He readied himself and swung to divert me. The mana inside me flared. For a brief moment I activated my mana like Taylor had taught me. A pain rippled across my heart but the effect was instant. Earnest's eyes widened as his sword slowed. His gaze darted around him searching for me despite the fact I was clearly in sight.
"Hah!" I shoved the wooden sword forward. In the last moment Earnest's instincts caught up and he dodged to the side. It was light but I felt the wood graze his side. I grinned in victory. Then a burst of force erupted and I was sent skidding across the ground falling with a splash into the oasis water.
I gasped in surprise as I struggled to swim to the surface spluttering the water from my lips as I broke through. Damn it. This always happened whenever I got too eager with Earnest. The swim to the shore was painful as I dealt with both Earnest's attack and the blowback form my own body. Earnest met me at the edge, behind him Pina had walked closer to check if I was okay.
"What was that?" he asked bluntly not offering to help me stand.
"A trick I learnt from Taylor," I coughed and stood up groggily leaning on Pina for support.
He nodded in thought then smiled, "Interesting… I've never felt such technique before. You truly do surprise me every time Rain. I was right to accept you as my apprentice." I paused. Hang on what? Just when did I become his apprentice?
"I didn't agree to that…."
"It's an order," he reached out his hand and shook mine.
"Yeah… whatever," I sighed and moved to the cart to dry myself off. As I had the foresight this might happen I had already prepared the appropriate towels and change of clothes in my bag.
"Hold it!" Ardent blocked me as I reached for my towel. He slowly paced around my body muttering, "Interesting, how peculiar, I see…."
"Umm is something the matter?" I asked perplexed at his behaviour.
He continued to prod my body and I felt the occasional zap of magic, "Well you just dived into the oasis. From what I had gathered so far the water should by no means be treated normally and could have potential health risks if over indulged. I theorised if one were to drench themselves they would have a negative effect to their body similar to mana poisoning. Yet here you are fine. I wonder if it is due to your nature with mana or was I wrong?"
I shifted my eyes to Earnest, "I know a way we could find out." He shuffled away showing a small expression of guilt.
"As much as I would be interested, it would be unwise," Ardent shook his head. "Rain you may proceed. If you feel anything however do tell me."
"I will…," I dried myself and changed clothes feeling only a little used.
While we waited for the sun set to set I made a small fire and cooked dinner. It was a pleasant meal as Earnest and I mostly just listened to Ardent talk about his findings of the oasis. Other than that I rested ignoring Earnest as he sat nearby with a wooden practice sword beside him. When the sun moved out of sight and the darkness took over we roused ourselves.
"Now for the main treat," Ardent smiled and a light spiralled around his feat expanding into an intricate circuit of magic. A buzz passed through me as the light faded. "We should be invisible to their eyes, just do not move too far away from me."
I nodded but held my bow close by just in case. Ardent was a Master Wizard but I wasn't one to forsake the possibility of things going wrong. Pina was on standby near the cart and ready to leave at a moment's notice.
As evening became night so did the atmosphere turn. Fireflies flew across the oasis in a beautiful display but it did little to stop the chill spreading through my bones. With only the three of us here there wasn't enough life between us to keep the denizens of night away. It would be different if we were camping somewhere else and even worse the oasis was known to attract them. Ardent however was all smiles as he waited like an excited child and Earnest was as calm as ever.
The first appeared forming in the distance as if from nothing. A hunched over humanoid shaped shadow, it shuffled towards the oasis slowly. Its body was hard to discern beneath the moonlight and transparent enough to barely see through. While it looked like a shadow I knew from experience that their bodies had the consistency of jelly, well that was unless they were trying to bite you or rake at your skin with their claws.
I shuddered, "I can never get used to those things." Unlike beasts or monsters even, they just didn't feel right. They felt similar to the strange creature Lara and I faced in the cave, though that thing had its own unique feeling of dread.
"Indeed they are a mystery," Ardent spoke in agreement. "However to me it just makes them that much more fascinating."
The denizen arrived at the oasis' edge. It was strange. Even though I didn't have much experience with them aside from being chased, the way it sat near the water betrayed my expectation of the thing. Without me noticing another two arrived at the opposite side. They didn't interact with each other, instead they simply sat by the water peering into it as if there was something we couldn't see.
"So the stories were true," Ardent gazed in complete fascination. "This is a rare opportunity to study one so close. Denizens do not exist where they do not want to. Aside from attacking they never appear. When you are safe they do not sit idly in wait, they're just gone. So why are they here?"
We watched as their number slowly rose to the dozens. Ardent's spell was perfect and they didn't even inch towards where we sat only a few metres away.
"The denizens here are different to the ones in my homeland," Earnest commented.
"How so?" Ardent asked him intrigued. He already had a pen and paper in hand.
"In our lands they walk on two feet, here they walk on all fours hunched. Though like you I have never seen one so close and peaceful."
"Do you interact with them much?"
"To settle disputes men often challenge each other to walk the darkness alone. They face wave after wave of the denizens and the first to return or die is the loser. It also makes for a fine challenge," he smirked dangerously.
"Yes I have done something similar with my colleagues. How about you Rain?" Ardent turned to me.
I shook my head hastily, "No way. My foster parents once made me experience how dangerous they could be at night but aside from that we stay in safety."
The denizens continued to gather till there numbers were nearing a hundred. I checked my pocket watch. It was only eight o'clock. I still needed to live for another four hours at least. If all the denizens charged at us at once that could prove fatal. I was beginning to regret following along.
I breathed out a sigh to relax myself and turned to Ardent, "What are they anyway?"
"I don't know," he shrugged. "Some believe they are the souls of the dead. Others believe that they are spirits of the night, harbingers of death. Many say they are shadows born form the magic of an ancient God."
"And you?"
"Me? Well if I were to say, I lean on the theory that they are congregation of the rampant mana guided by thoughts long gone. In the end one can only say for certain that they are entwined with our fate as humans. Though not perfect, why else take our form? Why do they not attack beasts or monster but only us? Questions yes, but part of the answer they certainly are." He took out a crystal from his bag and pointed it to the group. "I must preserve this sight for my colleagues."
The crystal flashed capturing the scene. Till then the gathering denizens had done little but shuffle their bodies while staring at the water. Now however they turned their heads towards us in unison.
"Umm Ardent…." I backed away towards the cart.
"Hmm interesting that shouldn't have broken the spell," Ardent didn't move. "Ah I see, the mass intellect theory."
"The what?" I had a bad feeling now.
"Basically they get smarter the more there are," Earnest replied causing Ardent to mope having his explanation stolen.
He cleared his throat, "Well yes but there are many complications as to why. It could be-,"
"That later," I cut him off. "Do we need to run or not?" The denizens were beginning to move closer.
"It is a shame but yes," he sighed. "Even if we were to try eliminate them, for every one we defeat two more will take its place. They'll notice us soon."
"Then get in the carriage!" I yelled already hooking Pina into place.
"Right you are," he hopped forwards showing little to no concern. Earnest followed him.
I double checked we had everything and no sooner when they settled down I shook the reigns and Pina dashed away. As soon as we left the protected area of Ardent's spell the denizens all reacted at once with a shrill scream. Their mouths gaped open wide and as if having gone insane they leapt towards the carriage. I much rathered when they sat still. Thankfully it was too late for them to catch us. Though they were many, they weren't all too fast and soon enough Pina had left them far behind.
"Well that was an interesting experience," Ardent said satisfied. "If we have time I'd like to visit again."
"Not with me you're not," I said bluntly.
"Oh Rain don't be like that," he said jollily. "We made it out perfectly safe. Next time I'll make sure to prepare additional magic when I take the picture."
"I wouldn't have minded if we stayed and fought," Earnest smiled. "It would have been interesting to see how the denizens would react."
"Don't you start!" I turned to glare at them. What I wanted now was just to make it safely back to Greytree in one piece.