Ethan pulled Zelda and Lilly from his robe.
"Alas, Lilly monitors for threats, and Zelda keeps Wendy and Lucy safe from Blood rabbits and snake attacks."
Ethan felt that everything in this forest worked together to kill outsiders like them.
"Alas, Lucy Tank and Wendy remember only neck wounds. We need the leather for our tent."
Lucy rushed forward as the dire wolf leapt over the elk to attack her. She looked small and an easy target, but the dire wolf quickly discovered that Lucy was anything but weak.
Wendy ran, sliding on the ground toward the dire wolf. The dire wolf snapped its jaws at her, and Wendy flipped backwards, avoiding its sharp teeth.
Ethan jumped into a tree and then across three trees to get the right angle. He could see that Zelda had her work cut out for her as Blood rabbits and snakes attacked Lucy and Wendy. The dire wolf controlled other animals as if they were his small army.
Lucy took a beating out there, her golden mist flowing, covering the area.
Wendy got in a few cuts, her golden mist flowing into her. She dodged and used her acrobatic skill to get near the dire wolf.
Ethan knocked an arrow.
"Mei display, please show weak points, please."
"Alas, the heart could be punctured at this point."
A red dot appeared on the screen, showing where the dire wolf's heart lay. Ethan pulled back the arrow and glanced at Wendy and Lucy. They were worn down, and soon, their lives would end in death. Wendy and Lucy did everything they could to avoid being bitten. Time was running out for them.
Ethan breathed in, held it for two seconds, and released his arrow.
The dire wolf yelped as the arrow punctured its heart. It walked forward a few steps, then collapsed.
Ethan took the rope from his backpack, tying the legs of the elk and dire wolves together. He attached the rope to Zelda, the four blades lifting the two dead animals. Wendy and Lucy's wounds disappeared as the golden mist flowed under their dresses. Their regeneration skill consumed the dire wolves' blood.
Lara had the two animals up in a tree in no time. Grace started to skin them as Maple harvested the horns. Grace had a pile of manna stones on the ground.
"This dire wolf has no blood left. It had been drained somehow."
Grace shivered as she looked at Ethan.
Ethan gave Lucy and Wendy his water flask.
Wendy leaned closer to Ethan.
"Hail, recheck me."
"Squee, me too and finger me, please."
Ethan shook his head.
Too many eyes are on us. I will tonight when we are in bed."
"Hail, we will be quiet when you finger us."
Wendy and Lucy sighed together, closing their legs.
Lara and Grace had bound the roe deer with rope to be dragged. Maple and Lara tied the ends of the ropes and dragged the deer through the forest. To Ethan's relief, they wore gloves to protect their hands. No attacks came from Blood rabbits or snakes.
On the way to the road, Lucy spotted a shiny object in the brush.
"Alas, Lilly, scan the area."
Lilly floated up, and then her purple lines flared. Lilly descended towards Ethan's hand.
"Alas, Ethan, there is a vehicle in the brush over there."
Wendy ran into the brush.
"Hail, come and see."
Ethan could feel he was close to a heart attack. Wendy rushed into the brush without caring for her safety. Lucy gave Ethan a look that said Wendy's elevator did not go to the top.
Grace inhaled sharply.
"It is the delivery vehicle."
Grace eagerly opened the back of the delivery vehicle, her disappointment evident. The back of the delivery vehicle was empty. Ethan flew to town and called Thompson, placing a marker near the road where they had spotted the delivery vehicle.
Terry had three dire wolves tied in a bundle dragged by the bear kin. His team looked exhausted as they sat beside the road, waiting for their ride back to the city. They had torn clothes, and Terry's shield had a few new dents. Terry looked at Grace, not bothering to get up.
"Grace, we are leaving. We almost died out there. We have enough proof to complete the quest. Good luck out there."
Ethan could see the pickup down the road coming closer, another vehicle behind it.
Terry and his men loaded the dire wolves into the back of the other vehicle and were soon returning to the city. Terry had given Grace the dire wolf skins.
Bellatrix got out of the pick-up and opened the back latch. Lara and Ethan loaded the roe deer onto the pickup, and soon, they waved at Bellatrix as she sped down the road back to the city.
Ethan gaged the sun to see how much daylight they still had. They still had time left.
"Alas, let us go look at the delivery vehicle, search inside and around it for clues before Thompson and his team arrive."
They walk briskly back to the delivery vehicle. Maple and Lara offer to look inside. They find a crumpled paper with directions. Wendy inspects the piece of paper.
"Hail, there should be more information on this paper."
Maple took a pencil from a delivery board lying on the seat.
"R-R-R, remember what Thompson showed us when we were young."
Grace uses a pencil on the paper to reveal the name "Forever Corporation Inc."
Ethan walks to the side of the road. The sun is now at its peak, the hottest time of the day.
"Alas, let us cook the meat while we wait."
Maple and Lara built a fire, and soon, meat was roasting with flatbread.
Police vehicles landed near the road. Thompson got out his two lieutenants with him.
"Ethan, what a find, girls."
Thompson nodded at the five women eating around the fire. Ethan stood and walked to Thompson, showing him the vehicle. He pulled the three detectives aside.
"Alas, we found this piece of paper inside the vehicle."
Thompson read the small paper, showing it to his lieutenants.
"We will have to go to the registry tomorrow and find out who owns this corporation and what it trades in."
"Alas, the name is peculiar; there was a rogue sect in the Divine Nexus called the Forever sect."
"Ethan, do you feel that this corporation has ties to this sect in your realm."
"Alas, it might just be a coincidence. We should not read too much into it."
Soon, the area was taped off, and the officers scoured it for clues. Ethan and his party waved goodbye as they walked into the forest, which Lilly guided them through. As they neared the border of the abyssal forest, they found a fence made from the same metal as the camping area. Wheat fields could be seen, with farmers harvesting. Wendy walked ahead as they followed the fence. Wendy went to a knee, pointing to a half-dug hole.
"Hail, this could be a firedog should we track it."
Grace nodded as she knelt beside Wendy. The two women track the beast's paw prints and signs. An hour later, Wendy halted them. Ahead was a valley, the tracks leading down the narrow ledge.