Chapter 8: Shadows of the Forest, Treasures of the City
Then she unveiled a pair of shoes and proclaimed, "These shoes are a Grade 3 treasure!" The crowd gasped in astonishment. She continued, "They are called the Roaring Soles of Might; they enhance speed, strength, and stealth. They also feature retractable claws for attack, crafted from the claws of a Peak Rank 3 Shadowstalker Panther. These claws are made from a unique material, Shadowsteel, which is incredibly sharp, lightweight, and resilient." She announced the starting bid at 10 gold essence coins and called for the bidding to begin. Immediately, a voice from the back shouted, "20 gold essence coins!" Alex looked over to see it was Jumu. He wondered, 'Why does he need my powder when he can afford these?'
Hari asked Elder Gavum, "Why is this village so much more prosperous than ours?" Elder Gavum replied, "Its location near the Highfrost Mountain offers abundant resources, attracting many merchants and adventurers. Our village is more low-key, as our ancestors preferred a quieter way of life, so don't dwell on it, Hari."
The bidding war was short, lasting only a minute, and the shoes were finally sold to Jumu for 35 gold essence coins. As they prepared to leave, Alex noticed Jumu looking at him strangely but chose not to dwell on it and continued.
After leaving the Highfrost Treasure Pavilion and walking towards the village gate, they were called out to from behind after a minute on the road "Is that you Gavum Pinespirit?". Turning around, Alex was surprised to see Jumu and an elderly man with a long white beard and hair, a sturdy build, and ice-blue eyes. "Arnulf, long time no see," Elder Gavum greeted. Alex realized, 'So this is Elder Arnulf.' They exchanged pleasantries, reminiscing about their last encounter ten years ago.
Arnulf introduced his grandson, Jumu, who appeared a bit embarrassed at his grandfather's comment about his arrogance but was a good kid at heart. Inquiring about their visit, Arnulf asked, "What brings you here, Gavum?" Elder Gavum explained, "We're here to exchange cultivation materials. Our village head seeks to enhance the training of our young cultivators," as he gestured towards both Hari and Alex.
Alex pondered when he became a part of Goldenwell Village. "Oh, so that's the reason. Is that one of your preparations for the tournament in a month at Wolfden Town?" Elder Gavum confirmed, "Yes, that is one of them." Arnulf, with a chuckle, added, "I see, I see. My grandson will be participating in the tournament! Isn't that amazing, ha-ha?"
With curiosity, Arnulf then asked, "Oh, are these two young men also participating, Gavum?" Elder Gavum replied, "It will all be up to our village's decision. After all, we didn't get many slots for the tournament." Intrigued, Arnulf inquired further: "Oh, how many slots did you get?" Gavum answered, a hint of frustration in his voice, "Our village head only managed to secure 3 slots out of the 40. Given our village's circumstances, it is acceptable..."
Arnulf, expressing pride, said, "Three slots are good, considering your situation. We managed to secure five slots, which is incredible, right?" The conversation underscored the varying fortunes of the two villages in obtaining participation slots for the upcoming tournament, highlighting a blend of friendly competition and camaraderie between the elders and their respective slots.
"Alright, we have our own training to do. I hope to see you in a month, Gavum!" Arnulf exclaimed as he and Jumu departed. Curious, Hari inquired, "Elder Gavum, what tournament was he referring to?" Alex, equally interested, also looked to Elder Gavum for an explanation.
"I had hoped the village head would tell you about it, but since you already know, I'll explain," Elder Gavum began. "In one month, there will be a 40-participant tournament in Wolfden Town, including representatives from the top academy in the Stormwatcher Empire, the 'Tempestis Imperial Academy.' The top 10 from this tournament will have the opportunity to participate in the academy's entrance test, the format of which changes every three years."
Hari wondered, "So why didn't anyone from our village participate three years ago?" Elder Gavum replied, "No one was qualified. The minimum requirements are at least Mid Rank 1 and under 20 years old. We also did not secure any slots that year. But this year, we have a few candidates. When we return to the village, I will tell you more. Now, let's head back."
After five minutes of travel, Alex asked Elder Gavum about the Lunar Veil Powder: "Elder Gavum, how do I use the Lunar Veil Powder?" Elder Gavum instructed, "The Lunar Veil Powder is best used at night. You just need to apply it to your skin." "I see. Thank you, Elder Gavum," Alex responded.
"No problem. Now let us hurry to the village. We will travel through the night and arrive by morning," Elder Gavum said, and they quickened their pace. About six hours later, around 8 p.m., with the sundown and the blue moon illuminating the Whispering Forest, Alex requested a break. "Elder Gavum, can we take a 10-minute break?" "Alright, let's take a short break," Elder Gavum agreed.
During their break by the roadside, Hari asked Alex, "Alex, are you alright?" "I'll be fine. I just need to rest. I am not used to traveling at this pace," Alex replied. Suddenly, a howling sound came from behind them. "What was that?" Alex asked. Elder Gavum identified the creatures: "Those are the Sylvan Shadow Wolves."
"Elder Gavum, how far away are we from our village?" asked Hari, concern evident in his voice.
"I am estimating that we are about an hour away from the village," replied Elder Gavum. Suddenly, they heard another howl close to them. "They are getting close!" Hari shouted. Then they heard something rustling in the bushes, and a peak rank one Sylvan Shadow Wolf emerged.
"Why are they attacking us?" asked Hari.
"I don't know but be aware and ready to run on my signal," Elder Gavum responded.
The wolf circled them for ten seconds before lunging at Hari. Elder Gavum reacted instantly, casting a spell that transformed his arms into bear-like claws. He pushed Hari aside and grabbed the wolf, rooting it in place. Upon releasing the spell, the wolf remained grounded.
"Let's make a run for it!" Elder Gavum said:
Hari, gasping for breath, managed to say, "Thank you, Elder Gavum."
The three of them sprinted towards the road. On the way, Alex asked, "Elder Gavum, what was that spell?"
"It's called Bear Hold, one of the five moves from a tier one spell I learned at Mid rank one," Elder Gavum explained.
"That looked so cool!" Alex exclaimed.
As they ran, the howling of the Sylvan Shadow Wolves continued. "We are very close to the forest exit; keep it up," Elder Gavum said.
"This never happened before. What caused this?" Elder Gavum pondered.
"Elder Gavum, there's a wolf in front of us!" Hari yelled.
Elder Gavum looked at the wolf, a Mid -rank three Sylvan Shadow Wolf. "What is he doing on the forest outskirts?" he thought aloud.
Alex looked at the large wolf in fright and asked, "What are we going to do?"
"Don't worry, I'll hold him off. You two run to the village as soon as I give the signal," Elder Gavum said.
Casting a spell, Elder Gavum summoned spectral vines that launched at the rank-three Sylvan Shadow Wolf. Realizing this was their signal, Alex and Hari sprinted towards the village. "Good luck, Elder Gavum! We will soon get help," Alex thought. The vines pierced the wolf's legs, immobilizing him and injecting a venom that prevented the wolf from casting any abilities. The wolf struggled against the vines.
The wolf kept howling, calling for other wolves. Elder Gavum, realizing the situation, cast the vines on the wolf once more and started running towards the village. After leaving the forest, Elder Gavum looked behind him and saw the rank-three wolf with tens of other Sylvan Shadow Wolves behind him, howling. 'Is our village about to get attacked? Elder Gavum thought.
About a minute later, he spotted Hari, Alex, and Elder Toldelm running towards him. "Elder Gavum!" Hari and Alex exclaimed, gasping for breath. Elder Toldelm asked, "What happened, Gavum?"
"Toldelm, I'll explain more with the village head present. Let us hurry back. The wolves might still be in the vicinity," Elder Gavum replied. Elder Toldelm nodded, understanding the urgency.
As the four of them made their way to the village head's house, the Sylvan Shadow Wolves slowly advanced towards the village. Upon arriving at the village head's house, Elder Gavum knocked and urgently exclaimed, "Village Head, it's an emergency! Please open the door!"
Five seconds later, Demarcus opened the door and asked, "What happened, Gavum?"
"Our village is about to be attacked by a pack of Sylvan Shadow Wolves!" Elder Gavum exclaimed.
"Why would a pack of Sylvan Shadow Wolves attack our village? asked Demarcus.
"I do not know the reason, but when we were about an hour away from the village, we stopped to take a break. Shortly after we stopped, we heard howls behind us. When the howls got close to us, a Rank 1 Sylvan Shadow Wolf came out of the bushes and attacked us. I immediately immobilized it, and the three of us started running towards the village. After running for about 5 minutes, we spotted a Rank 3 Sylvan Shadow Wolf in front of us. I told Hari and Alex to run away on my signal while I held the wolf back. After about a minute, the wolf started howling for other wolves for help. I realized that the situation would only escalate, so I ran towards the village. After leaving the forest, I looked back and saw the Rank 3 Sylvan Shadow Wolf, with tens more wolves hiding behind him, looking at me. That is when I realized that we were in big trouble."