Chapter 36: Beneath the Canopy
Author Note: 1 CoF = easily lift 200 pounds
Darius, wearing a green tunic, brown trousers, and sturdy boots, stood at the edge of Fang Root Forest, a long dagger, secured at his hip. His untamed black hair and azure eyes stood out sharply against his fair skin, touched lightly by the noonday sun.
"I'm surprised they agreed," Darius said, a grin spreading across his face as his hands flexed.
Darius had to work hard to get his parents on board with his plan. He started with proving he knew the flora and fauna of the forest better than they did, pointing out plants and animals they hadn't even heard of. He had already shown them how fast and strong he had become, promising to stay safe near the edge of the forest. What really made them say yes, though, was when he brought up Haku. They were all starting to worry about him, and Darius's determination to find his friend convinced them to let him go, provided he promised to flee from any danger immediately and return to the estate before dark.
Ready to depart, his thoughts brought an unexpected blush to his cheeks, "to think, I now have to ask for permission to leave my own home."
With a lightness in his step and a chuckle that seemed to dance with the wind, Darius plunged into Fang Root Forest.
"Ethereal Steps!" The lightning tattoo on his forehead pulsed softly, a weak glow beneath his skin.
Darius vanished into a streak of purple, weaving through the forest. He danced between trees, agile and powerful, his laughter echoing, blending into Fang Root's silence, scattering the animals in its wake.
Darius darted beneath the towering trees, a blur against the backdrop of Fang Root. Each step, light yet swift, barely touched the ground before he vanished, only to reappear moments later, further along the shadowed path. His movements, electric bursts of speed and agility, startled a family of red-crowned stags, their majestic forms bounding away in a panic.
A burst of laughter, pure and uncontained, spilled from him, mingling with the rustling trees and the distant calls of unseen birds.
He skidded around a massive, moss-covered trunk, sending a flurry of leaves spiraling into the air. Not far ahead, a creek babbled, its clear waters providing a break in the dense underbrush. Without breaking stride, Darius leaped, the sunlight catching his figure mid-air before he vanished once more.
Animals, drawn by the disturbance, peeked from their hiding spots, their eyes wide and curious. A pair of shadow hares, coats flickering with a hint of magic, watched from a safe distance, their ears twitching at every burst of laughter that echoed through the forest. Even the ancient trees seemed to lean in closer, their branches swaying gently as if to catch a glimpse of the fleeting figure.
Darius reappeared, a few paces ahead, his path marked by a trail of crackling mana. His breathing was slightly heavier from the swift movement, yet his face radiated with a bright and unrestrained smile, "Ok, that's enough."
Surveying the dense foliage around him, he summoned an image of Fang Root's vast landscape to mind, eyes shimmering with the activation of his Arcane Gaze. "If I was that little brat, what would I be doing? Where would I go?"
His vision, now filtered through his Arcane Gaze, revealed the forest's hidden layers. Streams of earth mana, dense and pulsating, wove through the soil, painting trails of yellow and brown beneath his feet. Gusts of wind mana, lighter and more fleeting, danced between the trees, while droplets of water mana, serene and flowing, outlined the forest and damp earth.
"Ember foxes prefer to build their dens in areas near water, with rough varying terrain for cover." He reasoned aloud, "its not much to go on but I can at least start there."
Darius's aura faded, the crackle of purple giving way to a swirl of green. "Should hold off on using Ethereal Steps," he decided. Instantly, his body pulsed, a surge of strength visible as a faint green shimmer emanated from his chest.
'These tattoos...truly amazing, every time I cycle my mana, I can feel myself getting stronger. I don't even have to cultivate.'
Breaking through the first layer of his technique not only opened new paths of growth but also revealed the unique nature of his development. He was stunned to discover he didn't need to cultivate his Arcane Talisman Technique to enhance his physical capabilities. The tattoos acted as conduits, seamlessly absorbing a portion of any mana he expends and recycling it through his muscles and organs. This process essentially formed a secondary meridian system, augmenting his twelve primary meridians and enhancing his strength with every use of mana.
"Best keep a low profile deeper in," Darius decided. Abandoning his movement technique, he moved onward. With a stride both careful and determined, he quickly pressed deeper into Fang Root.
Gliding more gently than before, Darius became a wraith among the trees, drifting like a leaf caught in a soft breeze. He skimmed over underbrush and brushed past branches, all the while his gaze, sharp with his eye technique, scanned the path ahead.
As Darius ventured deeper, the forest unfolded before him, a realm where every leaf and shadow thrummed with mana. "Eyes, everywhere." His gaze, charged with azure light, caught glimpses of hidden creatures, their forms outlined in elemental auras. "This forest," he realized, darting between shadows and light, "brims with life, I'm totally surrounded."
Darius eased his speed, threading through bushes to emerge at his target: a vast rock outcropping to the northwest of the estate, shadowed by the constant murmur of a nearby creak.
Darius's gaze landed on the rock formation ahead, its jagged edges casting imposing shadows, reminiscent of a beast's fang thrusting upwards from the earth. The rock formation, massive and untamed, dominated the landscape, with a creak meandering around its base.
Moving forward, Darius's stride halted abruptly. Instincts honed in his previous life guided him to take cover behind a cluster of bushes, his movements cautious, barely disturbing the air.
'Mana-Hippos.'
Darius crouched, watching the Mana-Hippos immerse themselves with an ease that defied their size. Crystals sprouted from their backs, catching the light and casting prismatic colors onto their surroundings.
Darius whispered to himself, keeping a low profile behind the brush. "Hippomana Gigantus, in the first stage... still younglings, the blue sheen of their hide and those tiny crystal horns are telltale signs." His eyes narrowed, focusing on the creatures as he committed every detail to memory, the marvel of their existence not lost on him even in this tense moment.
He knew that with time, these creatures would swell in size and magic, their skin hardening into crystal armor, their abilities in water manipulation becoming formidable. But for now, as stage one beings, they were at the start of their path, gentle giants of the water with the potential to evolve into entities of great power.
Hiding behind the foliage, Darius watched the mana-hippos by the stream, a mix of curiosity and awe in his eyes. This was his first encounter with a mana beast in its natural habitat. The hippos' tranquil presence and the subtle play of magic across their skins captivated him, offering a glimpse into a world he had only read about. His gaze lingered, taking in every detail, from the serene water's edge where they lounged to the soft rustle of leaves stirred by a gentle breeze. This moment was a new chapter in his journey, far beyond the pages of any book.
Captivated by the mana-hippos, Darius almost missed the faint rustle—a sound distinct from the forest's natural harmony.
Darius's reaction was swift, rolling to the side as he dodged the ambush. He distanced himself from the hippos as they fled, feightened from the sudden disturbance, only to confront a new challenge.
Before him stood a Blaze-Cat, about the size of a hound, its dark orange fur standing out against the forest's greenery. Its gaze, intense as the fire it wielded, focused on Darius, signaling a blend of grace and danger.
As he regained his footing, Darius's gaze fixed on the Blaze-Cat. 'A double-tailed Blaze Cat,' he thought, observing the twin flames that danced at the creature's rear. His eyes traced the fiery orbs at the tail's end, a clear sign of the beast's evolution level.
'Not just fire claws, but fire breath too,' he reminded himself, recalling the creature's capacity to spew flames and shroud its claws in fire.
Darius assessed the standoff, his thoughts cool despite the sudden danger. 'Twenty-five cauldrons of force for this one,' he estimated, eyeing the Blaze-Cat's muscular form and the vibrant glow of its tails. 'I'm pushing twenty at best right now.'
Darius's battle instincts kicked in as the Blaze-Cat unleashed a mouthful of fire. Without a moment's hesitation, he cycled his fire mana, his arms igniting in a brilliant display.
"Bring it on!" With a forward thrust, he transformed his arms into a flaming spear, cleaving through the inferno. The two forces collided, his fiery barrier splitting the oncoming blaze.
"Let's see what you can do!" His voice boomed with anticipation, his eyes blazing azure while licked with flames.
Darius rushed forward as the Blaze Cat launched itself into the air. In a swift motion, Darius slid beneath the leaping cat, reaching up to grasp one of its fiery tails. This unexpected move halted the cat's airborne assault, causing it to crash heavily to the ground, momentarily stunning it.
Darius seized the moment, his muscles bulking under the surge of mana. With a firm grip on the Blaze Cat's tail, he swung the beast in a wide arc. The cat's cries cut sharply through the air as it spun, a blur against the forest backdrop. After gaining momentum, Darius let go, catapulting the cat towards a tree with deadly precision.
The second stage blaze cat twisted its body midair, its impact with the tree echoing like a muffled thunderclap. Roaring at Darius, it propelled itself back towards him, the sound of its launch a sharp crack that sliced through the air.
Darius surged forward, his skin glowing with a yellow and brown as earth mana wrapped around him. The Blaze Cat, its fire element surging, hurtled towards him with equal ferocity. Their collision erupted in a deafening boom, a visible shockwave rippling through the air and stirring the underbrush.
Locked in a fierce tangle of power, they became a blur of motion, a dance of primal force. This whirlwind of struggle swept them into the stream, where they crashed into the water with a resounding splash, the battle raging on beneath the surface.
Darius seized the advantage, positioning himself atop the Blaze Cat as it thrashed. Drawing deeply on his water mana, Darius clasped his hands over the creature's ears, channeling a torrent of pressurized water. With a surge of force, the water pierced through, silencing the Blaze Cat's muffled cries as its struggle abruptly ceased. The flames that once crowned its tails fizzled out, subdued by the stream.
Darius pushed away from the lifeless Blaze Cat, its body beginning to sink into the depths. Clutching its tail, he swam towards the shore, the bank abruptly dropping off into the water. Reaching the edge, he hoisted the Blaze Cat's carcass onto the bank. "I've missed this feeling," he breathed out, a smile touching his lips.
But before he could pull himself out, a faint sound halted his motion. With swift caution, Darius grabbed the cat's body, drawing it back into the water. He moved silently, blending into the reeds, waiting with bated breath for whatever had stirred the quiet of the forest.
Darius's ears caught the sounds of movement nearby—sticks snapping, leaves crunching, and the swish of foliage being brushed aside. The noises grew louder, voices threading through the silence. "Over here," called a male voice, firm and commanding.
Peering through the reeds, Darius's gaze landed on a group approaching the water's edge. Three knights, though their gear appeared rough and worn, moved with purpose alongside a young mage. The mage, clothed in simple red robes, bore an aura that barely radiated from his form. 'A tier 2 fire mage,' Darius assessed silently, noting the mage's pale skin, common but handsome features, straight brown hair, and the sprinkle of freckles across his nose. The mage's youthful appearance mirrored Darius's own age, marking him as distinctly out of place among the armored adults.
'What have we got here?' Darius's mind raced as he waited.
The knight who had led the way paused, surveying the surroundings with a critical eye. "There was a battle here recently," he announced, his voice carrying the weight of certainty. "The mana in the area is charged, and there are signs of fire everywhere."
A moment passed in silence, the group absorbing the scene before them. Then, the young mage, his voice laced with curiosity, chimed in. "Whoever was fighting, they were both using the fire element. I can feel it." He paused, a frown creasing his brow. "Something feels...unusual. I can't quite pinpoint what it is, though."
As the mage continued to probe the charged atmosphere, the knights began to spread out, their movements methodical and alert.
From among them, another voice emerged, skeptical. "Shouldn't we be looking for Atlas Crabs? As far as I know, they don't use fire."
The final knight exhaled sharply, his patience wearing thin. "I am getting tired of running around in these woods. Let's get back to looking for the Crabs before the tower asks for somethin else," he grumbled, voicing the exhaustion that seemed to linger in the air.
The leader, after a moment of thinking, nodded in agreement. "Ok, stay on guard just in case. Let's move to the location on the map," he commanded, setting the course for their next action. The knights began to head off in a direction away from the outcropping, their steps brisk and determined.
The young mage lagged behind, his attention still caught by the remnants of the battle. "Crelos! Get moving!" the lead knight's voice boomed, breaking the mage's concentration. Crelos looked up, his expression souring into a sneer, but he shrugged his shoulders and started to follow. Abruptly, he halted, his gaze drifting slowly towards where Darius hid.
"Crelos!" echoed the impatient shout once more. Snapping out of his brief trance, Crelos turned with a hasty gesture of his hands, "I'm coming!" He muttered quietly as he started walking back to the knights, "talk to me like that, stupid meat shields, in your 30's and only second tier..."
As the group's voices faded into the distance, Darius could still make out their conversation. The third knight's voice carried back, tinged with anticipation, "When we get back to camp, I'm gonna ask Sir Ramman if I can buy that fucking ember fox." Darius tensed, his focus sharpening at the mention of a ember fox.
"Why would you throw your wages away on that?" the second knight chimed in.
"It's not a waste!" the third knight shot back, his passion evident in his voice. "That fox ain't ordinary. Dodged every trap for two days straight. We only caught him because Ramman showed up just as that little thief was raiding our supplies!" he said, his arms flailing as he recounted the tale.
Darius's pulse quickened, hanging on every word as they moved away. "Lucky Sir Ramman didn't kill it, though he sure roughed it up. Should get a fair price for it," the third knight concluded, his voice trailing off with the distance.
Darius's heart raced, worry and determination mixing as he processed the knights' exchange.
'That has to be Haku, that idiot! I told him not to mess around!' Darius's chest heaved with rapid breaths, his eyes tracking the fading figures of the group until their voices were just whispers mingling with the forest sounds.
Darius surged from the water, a single, swift leap bringing him to the bank. Steam curled off him, water hissing into vapor on his skin.
His eyes locked on the vanishing group, his breath came slow, the glow of his eyes piercing through the steam.
Darius's presence alone seemed to weigh on the surroundings, the air thickening, shadows stretching longer and darker at his feet.
Far off, the group came to an abrupt stop. The knights, in a swift motion, called forth their gauntlets and weapons, while Crelos drew a wand from his sleeve. Forming a tight circle, their backs together, faces blanched with fear, each one grappled with a sensation they had never felt before — a visceral, overwhelming certainty that they were going to die.