The night sky dominated the Kegali forest. Monsters howling could be heard in the distance, along with the sound of cold wind blowing through the thicket of leaves and grasses. At one point along the southern boundary of the Kegali forest, between the forest's entrance and the Deosa clearing. A campfire shone in the darkness, and people sat around it, singing along to the strums of the guitar.
The song was about the beauty of nature and all of its inhabitants. A song about thanking the Gods for protecting such a lovely world. A beautiful song about world peace.
Bren moved his fingers smoothly between the strings of the guitar he was hugging, slowly nodding as he felt the stunning musical sound he was producing. Lian, Mea, and Caserie sang in his music, their voices blending to create a soft and comforting harmony. Three of them were swaying sideways and clapping their hands slowly. Herold was just staring at them, a big smile on his face.
They had just finished eating and decided to sing for a while before sleeping beside the camp—this was something they did on a regular basis.
Bren strummed the final part of the song as the singing stopped, and when he was finished, he smiled at the four people watching him. Then he stared at them for a few more seconds without saying anything, keeping his thoughts to himself.
"Why are you staring at us like that, Bren? Does your stomach turn bad?" Lian inquired.
"No," Bren said, shaking his head. "No... It's just..."
"Just what?" Mea asked, a smile on her face.
"Nothing..." Bren put down the guitar and smiled mischievously. "I just realized how bad Lian's voice is... now I know why it always sounds off when we sing," he said, changing the subject. He then laughed.
"You... I'm not sure what to do with you anymore," Lian said, crossing her arms. However, when Mea hugged her, the pout on her face vanished.
"I don't think so, Lian; you have one of the sweetest voices of the three of us," Mea said with a smile. "Only next to me and Caserie—maybe next to Herold as well, but he doesn't count."
"You're beginning to sound like your future husband, Mea," Lian replied, narrowing her eyes.
Then there was laughter from Lian, Mea, Herold, Bren, and even Caserie smiled at their antics.
"All right," Herold said, standing up and stretching his arms. "We should sleep now because we have a long and difficult journey beginning tomorrow," he said.
Mea stood up and grabbed Lian and Caserie's hands. "All the girls will be sleeping together," she announced cheerfully.
"Ha? You don't want to sleep with me, Mea?" Bren asked, his brow furrowed.
"Not tonight, my dear; if you missed me, go hug Herold," Mea said, pulling Lian and Caserie into their spot. "I missed sleeping with you, girls; I'll be sleeping in my usual spot, in the middle," she chuckled. The two girls she was dragging just nodded.
Bren was shaking his head, and Herold was watching the three walk away with a gentle smile on his face. They both smiled as they looked at each other. By simply looking into each other's eyes, they could easily understand each other's thoughts.
"It's just you and me tonight, Leader," Bren shrugged.
Herold rubbed his bald head and turned away from Bren. "Let's get some sleep."
"Herold," said Bren.
Herold came to a halt and turned to face Bren, not saying anything but furrowing his brows.
Bren paused for a beat before exhaling a long sigh. "May I speak with you for a moment?"
"Sure," Herold replied.
Bren then turned around and walked away from the direction where the girls were sleeping, toward the forest's entrance. Herold followed Bren without saying anything, and they walked a few steps together. Then Bren came to a halt and faced Herold with visible concern on his face, aided by the dim light from the campfire.
Herold waited for Bren to say something, but all he got was a blank stare.
Herold looked behind Bren at the dense forest. "The Kegali forest, I've been in this forest so many times I can't count... A rich forest with all five kingdoms claiming ownership while continuously exploiting its resources," Herold shrugged. "But, in reality, none of those kingdoms own the forest."
Bren drew his arms across his chest. "Do you recall the first time I came here?"
"Yes, it was six years ago," Herold said. "Back then, you were a real pain in the neck. A cheeky teenager with no ambitions other than to build a harem of women from various kingdoms and races. And a black-haired five-tailed fox lady with a big behind and chest was a must-have member. That dream, thankfully, did not come true."
Bren burst out laughing. "I can't believe you remember that stupid dream of mine; I was stupid back then..." His smile faded into a sad expression. "I'm still stupid; I haven't changed at all."
"You've changed since you met Mea three years ago," Herold assured. "I remember her rejecting you several times because she couldn't trust you, and you coming to me for advice as if I were some kind of expert on women—I wasn't."
Then there was total silence between them. When Bren looked up, he saw Herold's gentle smile directed at him. They just stared at each other, communicating through their eyes.
"I intend to ask Mea to stop being an adventurer. I want to be able to live a normal life with Mea. I've saved enough money to buy a decent house in the capital, open a store, and possibly buy some farmland," Bren said.
"I see," Herold replied.
"Six years... We've been adventuring together for that long, and this party is more like a family to me than my actual family, and you're more like a big brother to me than my actual brothers," Bren said, looking down. "But now, Herold, I want to change everything for myself, Mea, and our future children, and I hope you understand."
"Of course, I understand, Idiot, and I'm glad to hear you've finally gotten your thoughts straight," Herold replied.
Bren raised his head and looked up at Herold, his eyes wide with surprise and happiness. "Really?"
"Did you really think I'd get angry because you finally decided to do something remotely good with your life? And here I thought you were the one who knew me the best," Herold said. "I am your leader, but first and foremost, I am your friend."
"Thank you," Bren said, his voice trembling. He nodded repeatedly. "Thank you very much, Herold."
"However, I would strongly advise you to be serious about Mea. Stick with her and only her— no one else," Herold said solemnly.
Bren raised his shaking head and locked his gaze on Herold's. "What do you mean?" he asked, but then he realized.
"Don't make the same stupid mistake again, Bren. You're no longer young, and you should know by now that problems and mistakes don't fix themselves," Herold said, his face stoic. "You three are equally important to me and I consider you to be my younger siblings. Please don't force me to choose between you three... That would be the cruelest torture of all. Don't flee in the hopes that everything will magically improve... Before you leave, fix the problem you caused."
Bren remained silent for a few moments, staring at nothing. Then he nodded slowly, a newfound resolve on his face. "I see... I understand; I'll fix everything and do what's right."
***
The morning sun rose above the Kegali forest's sky. The song of nearby birds filled the air with a soothing melody. The howling of nearby monsters began to occur as an indication that life was beginning to move within the forest.
"It's time!" exclaimed Herold, raising his muscular arms in the air. "Are you ready?"
"Yes, Leader!" said Bren, Mea, Lian, and Caserie. They were dressed in their full sets of adventurer gear.
"I know you already knew this because I said it every time we entered this part of Kegali, but I'll say it again: Kegali forest is a dangerous place, and letting your guard down is the biggest mistake you can make while inside. Always be careful and do not leave my side unless I order you to... and most importantly, my order is absolute, when I say do something— do it without a 'but'." Herold took his helmet from his Dimensional Storage. A helmet shaped like a deer, with flame-covered horns. "Do you understand?"
"Yes, Leader!"
"All right, let's go inside this forest and finish our mission, and don't you dare die under my command, or I'll kill you!" Herold put on his helmet.
"That doesn't make sense, but yes, Leader!" Mea exclaimed, her face beaming. This was followed by Lian and Bren's laughter.
Then Lian, Mea, and Bren marched towards the forest's entrance, leaving Herold and Caserie to observe them.
"It's going to be a fun journey, right, Caserie?" Herold asked, shifting his gaze to Caserie.
Caserie smiled and nodded slowly. "I believe so, Leader," she said, her face and smile elegant and innocent, as befitting a kind and modest girl like her.
Herold gestured with his thumb. "Yes, it will..."
The five Deosa adventurers had finally begun their journey toward Kegali's heart. They were well aware that a certain danger awaited them; they just didn't realize how harsh that danger was.
A creature they'd never seen before...