Duchy of Vawns, Grandview City
Duke Jason Strall was busy working in his castle office when a knock interrupted him. Without looking up, he instructed, "Come in."
He already knew who it was. "Perry, what is it?" he asked his butler, who entered with a polite bow and a sealed letter in hand.
"It's an urgent letter from one of our baronies—Baron Ezekiel Zeke," Perry said, maintaining his calm demeanour as he handed over the letter.
With a sigh, the duke took the letter, broke the seal, and began reading. His expression turned grim as he read, prompting him to pass the letter back to Perry.
"Read this and tell me what you think," Jason said, leaning back in his chair, already bracing for trouble.
Perry scanned the letter, noting its alarming content. The baron had written about strange occurrences in his lands, involving sorcery or possibly demonic magic. The name Caleb stood out as the one responsible for inciting the chaos.
"This could be a serious issue if demons are involved," Perry said calmly. It wasn't unheard of for humans to ally with demons for power, but the implications were troubling, especially with the kingdom already on edge.
"We need to investigate this thoroughly," Perry continued. "I'll assign someone to look into the matter. If this man Caleb is behind it, we'll uncover his motives."
Jason nodded, his face serious. "Make sure they take one of our strongest knights. We can't afford risks."
"Understood, my lord," Perry replied with a bow before leaving to carry out the task.
Once alone, Jason turned to the window, his thoughts heavy. 'Can't we catch a break? Things are already bad enough.'
He exhaled and returned to his desk. First, he needed to inform the royals. Picking up his pen, he began drafting a message to ensure they were prepared for whatever was coming.
....
Caleb had a clear destination in mind—the Duchy of Therindor. It was home to Luntheria's famed arcane academy and the elven woman he'd recently encountered.
Instead of taking a direct route, Caleb decided to travel on foot. He wanted to explore the lands and experience the thrill of adventure.
The territories separating Luntheria's domains were far from peaceful. Magical beasts roamed freely, and other dangers lurked in the wilderness. Caleb was well aware of the risks, but he had his reasons.
He knew his actions would attract attention—perhaps even spark a manhunt. His leisurely journey served a purpose: giving the kingdom's forces the time they needed to conduct their investigations while he delayed himself.
Currently, Caleb was racing down a well-worn path leading out of the Vawns duchy. Ahead lay the Forest of Lothryn—a sprawling, untamed wilderness brimming with magical creatures and rare flora.
The Lothryn forest was one of the largest and dangerous forests on the continent with three high level dungeons and Caleb was just on the outskirts.
At the edge of the magical forest, Caleb paused, taking a moment to appreciate its raw, untamed aura and sprawling mountains and terrain.
The air hummed with energy, and the distant calls of magical creatures reached his ears, adding to the forest's mystique.
His journey had brought him several thousand kilometres away from the Vawns duchy and any nearby towns. He stood alone, with only the forest ahead and the clear path winding through its depths.
For many, the lack of teleportation magic meant braving the dangers of such places to travel between domains.
As Caleb stood there, a sudden scream echoed from deep within the forest. Reacting instantly, he extended his domain sense, probing the area to locate the source. Moments later, a bright smile spread across his face.
"Finally found one," he muttered, excitement evident in his tone. Without hesitation, he launched himself forward, disappearing into the forest at lightning speed.
.....
Jess Retrove and her companions, a team of skilled adventurers, had taken a mission to retrieve a rare material in the depths of Lothryn Forest. As the leader, Jess bore the responsibility of keeping her group safe and ensuring the mission's success.
After several days of travel from Sunspire City, they had finally reached the forest and wasted no time diving into their search.
Their journey had been fraught with peril—dangerous magical beasts and treacherous terrain tested their resolve at every turn. But the group had pushed forward, overcoming every obstacle as they ventured deeper into the wilds.
Unfortunately, not all threats wore the faces of beasts. The group was ambushed by a band of well-armed and highly organized bandits.
The party had managed to explore many areas and found themselves at the fringes of the forest that bordered the next duchy when they were attacked.
"Damn it! How are they this coordinated?!" Jess growled, frustration and anger bubbling beneath the surface. She raised her hand, claws extending from her fingertips as she prepared for combat.
As a proud warrior of the feline species, Jess was known for her incredible agility and razor-sharp reflexes.
She had already taken down one of the bandits with a single strike. But their numbers were overwhelming—five to one—and they'd already lost two party members to the enemy.
Her sharp eyes locked onto the bandit leader, who stood casually perched on a tree branch, watching the chaos unfold with a smug grin.
"You're going to pay for this!" Jess snarled, ignoring the chaos around her as she darted toward him.
In a flash, she was in front of the man, her clawed hand slashing through the air with deadly precision.
"You're mine!" she declared.
*WHOOSH!*
Her claws tore cleanly through the massive tree, slicing it like paper. The upper half groaned and crashed to the ground. But to her shock, the bandit leader was nowhere to be seen.
"What?!" Jess's eyes widened. Few people could keep up with her speed, let alone avoid her strikes entirely.
"Too slow, cat," a mocking voice called from the other side of the fallen tree. Jess spun around, her eyes narrowing as she searched for her elusive opponent.
"Jess, we need help!" one of her companions yelled, struggling against three opponents at once. His desperate call for aid echoed through the chaotic battlefield, but he wasn't the only one overwhelmed.
"Tsk!" Jess clicked her tongue in frustration. She cast a quick glance at the gang leader but decided to prioritize her team. However, as she bolted toward her companions, the gang leader suddenly materialized in front of her path.
"Going somewhere?" he taunted, his fist already cocked back before he hurled a punch aimed directly at her face.
"Don't even think about it!" Jess growled, crossing her arms in front of her to brace for the blow, but the force of the punch was shocking.
Jess gritted her teeth as the impact sent her hurtling backwards like a cannonball.
*BOOM!*
"Ugh!"
Her body slammed into the ground, creating a small crater on impact. Dust and debris scattered as she struggled to her feet, her limbs trembling from the sheer force of the hit.
'How is he that strong?!' she thought, her mind racing. The pain pulsed through her body, clouding her senses, but she forced herself to stand, glaring up at the gang leader with a mixture of disbelief and fury.