The temperature is getting warmer... Is it because of the monster that The Hanging Treant said? I can't help but use an ice and wind spell, similar to the one we use at home, so that we can all get a cool, nice breeze. The young ones in this tribe love the cool breeze, and they will naturally stay close to me when they find out that I am the one who causes it. While I am here doing my thing, I still listen to what Savel and the tribe leader have to say.
"I see... Some giants and other strange tribes have this habit... Never seen one, but heard a story..." [Elegast]
"Never seen... Well, I have, in the Imperial Fortress... Disgusting... I thought it was a monster egg, but now that I know the truth... I couldn't help but gag a little..." [Dana]
"That's horrible... Why would they..." [Diana]
They are kidnapped so that someone can eat the eggs they have laid? While some of the tribe give birth, most, if not all, will lay an egg to give birth to their children. I can't help but feel angry that they might be kidnapped for a cruel reason, but that's just what they think. It may or may not be true. Whatever it is, we went to the last place where the mothers gather, a natural hot spring that the tribe believes makes labor easier.
The mothers have all gathered there to bathe together one last time before settling in their new settlement in Amleth, with a powerful guard from their tribe to protect them, but the guard has been knocked unconscious, almost killed if it weren't for the help of others. They're tracking down whoever was responsible, but there's been no news since, so they're getting anxious. It's a good thing Miss Eisheth was able to get this news quickly.
Arriving there, the three of them quickly start to investigate. I don't know what to do, so I just appreciate the hot spring a little while I ask Fie if he can get a sniff of the mothers or the preparers. I also asked the nearby trees and they seem to know exactly what I am asking them.
"It's a group of beastmen?" [Savel]
"That's what the trees said." [Diana]
"Why would they... What do The True Beastmen group stand to gain by kidnapping them?" [Dana]
"I don't know" [Diana]
"Whatever it is, we won't know until we catch them. Can the trees tell us where they were taken?" [Elegast]
"Sure. Follow me" [Diana]
Since the trees nearby know about it, all I need to do is follow their guidance, as easy as that, and the other also able to quickly gather evidence as they go along the route that the trees tell. Trace of the scale falling from the dragonewt, a shred of what Elegast believe to be from a dog beastman.
Since the trees nearby know about it, all I have to do is follow their lead, simple as that, and the others are also able to quickly gather evidence as they follow the route the trees tell them. Traces of the scale that fell from the dragonewt, a shred of what Elegast believes to be a canine beastman.
Sure that we are on the right track, we pick up our pace. So far there is no sign that they have been injured, which is a good thing, and I pray that it will stay that way.
As we head towards the Empire, I can't help but feel a chill run down my spine? This feeling... why is it so familiar? Even Dana has noticed it and we both look at each other. Even Fie meows loudly. Savel and Elegast seem confused by our reaction, so Dana and I tell them
"Devil King?" [Savel, Elegast]
"The mana... or more precisely the fire mana of the Devil King..." [Dana]
"It's still far away, but there's no way we can mistake it" [Diana].
"Meow!" [Fie]
"Do you think the True Beastman Group and the Mothers went that way?" [Elegast]
"That would be suicidal, and it's in the direction of the Empire, so it's highly unlikely" [Savel].
Worried about the worst case scenario, we all start sprinting as fast as we can. We are confused as to why the Devil King's fire mana is coming in the direction of the Empire, but that is a question for another day. For now, we are here to save the mothers, and we will.
As we get closer and closer, Savel and Elegast tell us to stop. Dana seems to quickly understand why we are stopping and she quickly pulls out Gungnir and jumps forward with her thunder spell along with a wind spell to make no noise. As she leaps forward, a blood drop falls from one of the Canine Beastman, and just as another Canine Beastman is about to whistle to alert the others, Dana uses her elbow to give him a powerful uppercut. Somehow this reminds me of the way Sister Khamisah fought. That's logical, she must have picked up a few tricks from her.
It's too late, though, as an Owl Beastman with sharp eyes has noticed us all and tells the other to speed up the teleport. We feel a surge of mana, space mana to be exact. I'm sure this is their means of escape. It's a large and powerful spell, the only person I can think of who could do it single-handedly without much preparation is Master Merlin and, to some extent, the Adventure Linda. As big and powerful as it is, it still takes time to recharge, a fact that Elegast is well aware of.
"We elves are the children of the forest, mind you" [Elegast].
Elegast quickly cast a spell as the trees surrounding the group did one of two things. Rescue the mothers or disrupt the spell that was cast along with destroying their precious Space Mana Stone. However, in the rush, I'm sure the spellcaster panicked, and
"The spell misfired!" [Diana].
"It's heading in the direction where we can feel the Devil King's mana..." [Dana]
"Shit" [Savel]
"Tchh... You go ahead. I'll take care of the mothers that we were able to save, also tighten up those heatless monsters" [Elegast].
"Will do. Be careful" [Savel].
"As will you" [Elegast]