The journey to Evergreen City was lively, with the trio setting a brisk pace through the paved road that led from Myriad Spirit City before turning into a dirt path wide enough for carriages.
Lassim, leading the way, found himself adjusting his speed, ensuring he stayed in stride with Lustria and Sirium. The adjustment was minor, but it was noticed by the others.
"Slow down, Storm Bringer," Sirium joked, his breath steady despite the pace. "Not all of us can get special body enhancing dragon breath everyday."
Lassim chuckled, glancing back. "Apologies, it's hard. I'm still getting used to my current strength."
Lustria added a joke, "It's a good thing you're with us, or you'd probably overshoot the city entirely."
Their laughter echoed through the trees, a welcome sound amidst the rustling leaves.
As they neared Evergreen City, the dirt path gave way to a wide open paved road again, with the sounds of bustling life in the distance. Entering the town, they were greeted by the familiar sights and sounds of commerce and daily hustle found in any city.
"Ah, we made it here so quickly," Lustria exclaimed, her eyes taking in the various stalls and shops lining the streets.
"Let's see if we can gather some intel on the Moonlit stalkers," Lassim suggested, nodding towards a cluster of market stalls.
Approaching a fruit vendor, Lassim greeted the merchant with a friendly smile. "Good evening, we're looking for any information on Moonlit Stalkers. Have you heard anything that might help?"
The vendor, a stout man with a friendly face, shook his head. "Afraid not. Those creatures keep to the woods and don't come near my orchard; don't bother us much here."
Thanking the man, they moved through the market, posing their question to anyone who'd listen, from a jeweler with gleaming wares to a traveling baker whose basket of goods filled the air with tempting aromas. Each encounter brought similar responses—a mix of curiosity and helpful, but ultimately uninformative, replies. However, the baker, a young woman by the name of Stella with luscious brown hair around age 17 or so, did offer a suggestion.
"If anyone in the town would know all of the gossip, I'd suggest speaking to Old Man Raegar in the Dagger Inn. Those drunken adventures and farm hands would surely have spoken about coming across a pack of Moonlit Stalkers if they had." Stella shared with the trio before moving along to continue selling her bread basket.
"It seems we're chasing shadows, but this is the best advice we'd had all day. Thank you miss." Sirium remarked, a hint of frustration in his tone, but eager to explore her suggestion.
"Don't lose hope yet," Lassim assured, spotting the inn nestled at the city's heart. "Let's try our luck with the innkeeper. If anyone knows, it'll be him like she said."
The trio made their way to the inn, its warm glow inviting against the encroaching evening. Inside, the place was abuzz with activity, patrons enjoying their meals amidst lively conversations.
Approaching the innkeeper, a robust man orchestrating the evening's affairs and shouting orders at the kitchen and directing the waitstaff with practiced ease, Lassim offered a polite greeting. "Excuse us, we're seeking information on the Moonlit Stalkers. We were told by Stella that you might help?"
Without missing a beat, the innkeeper glanced at the trio, his keen eyes assessing them. Lassim, sensing the need for persuasion, discreetly slid a few low-grade elemental source stones across the counter.
The innkeeper's demeanor softened, a smile breaking through. "Well, now, that's more like it. So, you're seekers of adventure, I see. The Moonlit Stalkers, you say? They're elusive creatures, but I've heard they've been spotted near the old willow grove. It's deep within the Wildering Woods, mind you. Dangerous place, that."
Before he could offer further advice, a voice from the nearby table cut through. "The Moonlit Stalkers at the willow grove, eh? Y-Yer braver than most if yerrr... heading out there," slurred a man, evidently a hunter by his attire, his speech slightly slurred by the effects of his evening indulgences.
The trio turned towards the source, finding a rugged individual, his table littered with empty beer mugs. "Them stalkers, they're cunning, but I know their paths. Follow the stream north out of the town and you'll eventually come to the grove. Keep going 'til you find a clearing. They roam there come nightfall, drawn by the moon's glow falling on the only area uncovered by the trees."
Lassim, seizing the unexpected aid, nodded in thanks. "We appreciate the guidance. It seems the willow grove is where our journey leads."
The innkeeper, with a hint of concern flickering in his eyes, added, "Just be wary. The woods have more than just stalkers lurking in the shadows. Keep your wits about you."
Thanking both the innkeeper and the inebriated hunter, the trio felt a renewed by finally gaining a sense of direction for their target. The pieces of the puzzle were coming together, painting a clearer picture of what to expect.
Lustria mulled over the hunter's advice, her strategic mind already plotting their course but wistful with childlike imagination. Dramatically she said, "The stream leading to a clearing under moonlight to find a special flower protected by a pack of beasts! Sounds like something out of a legend."
Sirium, grumbled slightly scared at the thought, "Stop joking around. Let's make sure we're prepared for what awaits us." He checked his gear quickly with his hands, double checking everything was in place on his person, his twin-daggers already by his side.
Grateful for the information, Lassim nodded to the duo that gave the advice. "Thank you, this is exactly what we needed."
"Be careful out there," the innkeeper added, returning to his duties but not before casting a final, knowing look at the trio.
As they left the inn, the weight of their task felt more real than ever.
"Looks like we have our destination," Lustria said, a determined gleam in her eye.
Sirium nodded, a wry smile forming. "To the willow grove, then. I've never seen Night Bloom before, so let's see what these stalkers are so keen on protecting."
The trio stepped out into the cool evening air, their path now set. The journey from the bustling atmosphere of Evergreen City into the Wildering Woods began.
The further they followed the river out of town, the denser and more untamed the forest became. The path, illuminated by the soft glow of the moon, wove through towering trees and thick underbrush, a testament to the untamed beauty of the wilds.
Lustria, using her [Dark Veil] technique to lower her presence and staying poised with her bow, kept a watchful eye on the surroundings. Sirium, his senses attuned to the whispers of the wind, listened for any signs of danger, a perfect scouting tool. Lassim led the way from the front, a shield for his friends.
As they ventured deeper into the Wildering Woods under the moon's silver gaze, the atmosphere thickened with an eerie stillness
Lassim, Lustria, and Sirium moved with purpose, their eyes scanning the dark for any hint of danger.
"These woods are quiet...," Sirium observed, his voice low, breaking the silence that enveloped them.
Lustria, had her arrow nocked and ready.
Lassim nodded, his focus sharp. "Keep your guards up."
Their journey was interrupted with minor confrontations. Beasts, hidden within the shadowy underbrush, leapt at the chance to ambush the trio. Yet, with Lassim at the forefront, these threats were swiftly neutralized. Slowly, the beasts began to increase in strength from the initial strongest beasts being at SI2 until now, three hours later, the most common were all at SI5.
Thankfully, the silhouettes of willow trees began to dominate the landscape, and the air grew charged with a palpable tension between the group.
"We're close," Lassim announced, his voice barely above a whisper as they approached the grove's boundary.
Sirium scanned the perimeter, his eyes adjusting to the dim light. "Any strategy for finding the clearing?"
"Let's not split up," Lustria suggested, her gaze locked on the shadowed interior of the grove. "The beasts are way too strong for us to face them without Lassim handling them."
The trio crept through the moonlit darkness with a cautious pace as they tried to find the clear. After another half hour of steady progression, they spotted it, the moonlight filtering through the branches, casting long shadows that danced like specters on the forest floor. An open area cleared from all of the willow's long and whip-like limbs. The beauty of the scene belied the danger hidden within its serene facade.
"This is where the danger truly begins," Lassim stated, his halberd at the ready. "Stay alert and watch each other's backs. I'll go in first to see if I can spot the flower."
Lustria and Sirium nodded, their expressions set in grim determination. The Moonlit Stalkers, supposed guardians of the Nightshade Bloom, were not to be underestimated.
Together, with Lassim in the lead, they stepped into the moonlit grove, their senses heightened, ready for the confrontation that was to come.