The trio trudged along the winter road, the crisp morning air biting at their cheeks as they made their way northeast from Dharmeis. The landscape shifted gradually, the bustling town behind them giving way to a desolate, marshy terrain. The path grew narrower, flanked by low-lying mist that clung stubbornly to the frozen ground.
Arnolt walked behind Tyrina, clutching the quest paper in one hand, his eyes scanning the details of their mission. "Snagreit," he muttered, reading aloud, "giant rat monsters that thrive in swamps and marshlands. Their numbers have been increasing in the area, threatening the local ecosystem and nearby villages."
"Grennyn told us about them," Xiona said, her voice muffled by the scarf wrapped around her face. "He said they're annoying to deal with."
"They sure are," Tyrina replied, her axe resting on her shoulder. "Nasty little things. They might be low on the food chain, but in big groups? They can be a real problem. Got to be careful—they'll swarm if you're not paying attention."
"How do we handle them?" Xiona asked, more curious than worried.
Tyrina glanced at Xiona, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Simple, we hit them fast and hard. Snagreit don't have armor like Omens do, so their whole body is a weak spot. Just keep an eye on them, and don't let them overwhelm you."
Arnolt frowned thoughtfully. "It's strange, we're dealing with an infestation now. I'm no expert but shouldn't these monsters act like regular animals? Rats usually hide away in winter, right?"
"You got a point," Tyrina agreed. "The guild's been busy with Omens lately, so maybe there weren't enough people to handle other monsters last season."
"Maybe they bred too much, and now we've got a population boom right in the middle of winter," she continued, her voice trailing off as she considered the implications.
Arnolt pondered her words, his thoughts returning to the chaos the Omens had sown. Other problems had undoubtedly sprung up in their wake. Grabbing one of the two spears strapped to his back—his father's spear remaining carefully wrapped—Arnolt felt his determination solidify as they neared their destination.
Xiona, brimmed with excitement, had her hands tightening around her crossbow. She had always been eager to prove her worth, and now, alongside Arnolt and Tyrina, she felt like a true adventurer.
As they approached the frozen marshlands, the road grew muddier and slicker with ice. The crisp scent of snow and frost filled the air. Soon, they reached the edge of a vast, ice-covered expanse. What had once been murky water was now a sheet of glassy ice, dotted with patches of snow and frost-covered reeds. Twisted trees stood like silent sentinels, their branches heavy with snow.
"We're here," Tyrina said, her tone suddenly more serious. "Stay sharp, both of you. They could be anywhere."
Arnolt tightened his grip on his spear, his breath steady as he scanned the marshland for any signs of movement. Xiona loaded a bolt into her crossbow, her eyes darting between the shadows. The cold seemed to amplify every sound—the crunch of snow underfoot, the creak of ice shifting beneath the surface.
As they ventured deeper into the marsh, faint squeaking noises can be heard echoing through the still air, followed by the skittering of clawed feet on ice. The trio froze, their eyes locking onto a cluster of frozen reeds that shivered in the breeze.
"They're close," Tyrina whispered, her hands already wrapped around her axe. "Get ready."
A large silhouette emerged from behind the twisted trees, barely visible in the gloom. As they approached cautiously, the scene became clearer, revealing a congregation of giant rats huddled together for warmth, their bodies pressed tightly against one another.
The moment the Sragneits noticed the trio, chaos erupted. The rats scattered in every direction, hissing and shrieking as they encircled their would-be hunters. Their matted fur was a sickly gray, their eyes glowing with an unnatural light. Quill-like protrusions jutted from their backs, and their webbed feet skittered across the ice with unnerving speed, closing in on their prey with feral intent.
"Now!" Tyrina shouted, her voice a mix of exhilaration and command.
Xiona was the first to react. With a swift motion, she raised her crossbow, aimed at the nearest Snagreit, and pulled the trigger. The bolt flew true, striking the creature deep in one of its glowing eyes. It let out a piercing squeal before collapsing, its body twitching briefly before going still.
"Nice shot!" Tyrina called out, but there was no time to celebrate.
The horde of Snagreits surged forward, their shrieks rising in a chaotic crescendo. Tyrina's eyes gleamed with excitement as she swung her axe in a wide arc, cleaving through the oncoming wave of creatures with a fluid motion. The heavy blade met flesh and bone with a sickening crunch, sending the twisted bodies of the Snagreit skidding across the ice. She laughed, a fierce grin on her face as she moved with practiced ease, her excitement growing with every swing.
Arnolt positioned himself beside Xiona, his spear ready. As more Snagreits rushed toward them, he stepped forward, his movements precise. He thrust his spear, impaling the nearest creature and driving the spearhead clean through its body. He pulled the weapon free, spun it, and struck down another Snagreit trying to flank him.
"Xiona, stay close!" Arnolt called, his voice steady.
Xiona nodded, quickly reloading her crossbow. She fired another bolt, hitting a Snagreit near Arnolt. As it stumbled, Arnolt finished it off, then retrieved the bolt from its body and handed it back to her without missing a beat. Their teamwork was seamless, each of them moving in sync as they took down the Sragneit one by one.
The battle was brief but intense. Tyrina's axe gleamed with blood as she hacked through the last Snagreit, her laughter echoing across the marshlands. Arnolt dispatched the final creature with a swift jab of his spear, pinning it to the icy ground. The Snagreit let out a final hiss before falling limp.
And just like that, it was over.
The trio stood amidst the scattered bodies of the Snagreit, their breaths coming in steady puffs in the cold air. Xiona lowered her crossbow, a satisfied smile on her face. "That wasn't so bad," she said, a note of triumph in her voice.
Tyrina wiped her brow, still grinning. "You two did great," she praised, her eyes shining with pride. "We handled that like pros."
Arnolt nodded, his grip on his spear relaxing as he surveyed the battlefield. "That was intense, glad it's over now. Good work, Xiona."
Xiona beamed at the compliment, her cheeks flushing slightly from both the cold and the praise. "We make a good team, Arnolt," she said, tucking the bolts back into her quiver. "Maybe now I can join the guild even sooner."
"Still two years," Arnolt reminded her, his tone flat.
Xiona puffed her cheeks in mock displeasure. "Huft… you're no fun."
As their conversation continued, Arnolt glanced around the battlefield, his thoughts turning to the possibility of future attacks. "Tyrina, you mentioned there might be a Snagreit population boom. If that's the case, shouldn't we find their nest and eliminate the problem at its source?"
Tyrina considered his words, but then shook her head. "I get where you're coming from, but there's a risk to that. The ecosystem is delicate, always teetering on the edge of imbalance. If we were to wipe out the Snagreits entirely, another, possibly more destructive creature might fill the void they leave behind."
Arnolt was surprised, but Tyrina continued, "The guild's mission is to maintain that balance, not to overstep. We're here to deal with the Snagreits described in the quest, not to destroy their nest or disrupt the natural order. Our job is to handle the immediate threat, nothing more."
Arnolt's thoughts drifted back to the Omens as Tyrina spoke. The more he learned, the clearer it became that the Omens were wreaking havoc on the natural balance of the world. His village's destruction was just one example of their devastating impact. The weight of this realization made his expression grow darker.
"Hey, Arnolt!" Xiona's voice snapped him out of his thoughts as she tapped him on the back. "Don't get all gloomy just because you can't have more fun taking down those rats. There's always another quest."
Arnolt forced a smile, though Xiona had misunderstood what was really on his mind. "Yeah... sure."
Tyrina chimed in, changing the subject. "Anyway, we're not done here yet. We've still got some cleaning up to do."
"Cleaning up?" Arnolt and Xiona echoed in unison.
"Yep," Tyrina confirmed with a nod. "Adventurers are required to clean up the area after a battle. It helps prevent disease from spreading."
Arnolt and Xiona exchanged glances, neither thrilled by the idea. "But there's a lot to clean up," Arnolt said. "Doesn't that usually need a whole crew from the guild or something?"
"Normally, yeah," Tyrina replied, "there's a cleanup crew ready to be called in by whoever's on the field. But I like to handle it myself when I can. And now I've got you two to help, so it'll be way more fun!" she added with a grin.
Arnolt and Xiona looked at each other again, not quite sharing her enthusiasm. But they nodded, knowing there was no getting out of it.