Kealith settled himself comfortably, his blue eyes sparkling with mischief and wisdom.
Elara sat cross-legged on the floor, her attention fixed on him with an enthusiasm that was hard to contain.
Kendrick leaned back on the couch, still recovering from the remnants of sleep, but curious despite himself.
"Years ago," Kealith began, "My guild embarked on its very first mission deep within the Evermystic Forest. Our objective was to eliminate the high orcs that had been causing trouble for traveling merchants and to rid the area of the overgrown spinickles."
Elara's eyes widened. "Spinickles? What are they?"
Kealith chuckled softly. "Ah, spinickles are a peculiar type of weed. They grow over time, consuming the very magic around them, making it difficult for other resources to flourish. Imagine a plant so greedy that it saps the energy from everything nearby."
Kendrick nodded, remembering the tales of their first mission. "The guild master handed us a map showing where the spinickles had taken root, along with a warning to be wary of the high orcs in the area."
"The guild was a motley crew," Kealith continued, a smile playing on his lips.
"There was me, the knowledgeable mage; Mira, the exceptional marksman with her trusty arm crossbow; Ravik, the nonchalant assassin; Feyn, the healer with a heart of gold; and of course, your father, Kendrick, the master of sword art."
Elara leaned in closer, captivated. "What happened next?"
"We set out on our journey," Kealith explained, "with Kendrick leading the front lines, ever vigilant for ambushes. Our first encounter with the spinickles was a sight to behold. They loomed large, their tendrils reaching out as if to snatch us. But I stepped forward, casting a spell that removed the spinickles and stored them in a magic room, preventing them from sucking up any more magic."
Kendrick's expression turned serious as he recalled that moment.
"We worked methodically, eliminating each patch of spinickles. But then, as we approached the last remaining cluster, we were met with an unexpected sight."
"Seven high orcs," Kealith said, his voice lowering as he recounted the tension.
"They were feasting on the spinickles, their eyes gleaming with an unholy hunger. The spinickles, rich with magic, were poisonous, but somehow these orcs seemed unaffected."
Mira had whispered her concern to the team, her brow furrowed. "Why are they eating the spinickles? They shouldn't be able to handle the poison!"
Feyn had nodded thoughtfully. "They might have built up an immunity to its effects."
Kendrick frowned, weighing their options. "But if they consume all that magic, we won't stand a chance against them."
Kealith reassured them, "The spinickles enhance magic users' abilities. High orcs rely solely on brute strength. They won't gain any magical prowess from it."
With a plan in place, they moved into position, ready to ambush the unsuspecting orcs. But just as they prepared to strike, Feyn stumbled, tripping and crashing to the ground with a loud thud.
"The orcs heard us!" Mira hissed, urgency lacing her tone.
Kendrick instinctively stepped in front of Feyn, ready to defend her. "Get into formation!" he shouted.
Kealith quickly helped Feyn to her feet, casting a spell to disrupt the orcs' senses. "Now!" he commanded.
Mira sprang into action, leaping from tree to tree with her arm crossbow poised, striking from above.
Ravik melted into the shadows, moving silently as he targeted the orcs with precision.
Kendrick stood firm on the front lines, sword drawn and ready for battle.
But the orcs were not so easily deterred.
The largest among them let out a roar that shook the ground, sending vibrations through the air.
Mira lost her balance, falling from her perch.
Ravik caught her, his instincts sharp. "We need to retreat!" he urged, glancing at the charging orcs.
They fled, dodging rocks and trees hurled in their direction.
In the chaos, they spotted a magnificent tree—a grand ancient oak, its trunk wide and sturdy, its branches sprawling high above.
Its leaves shimmered with an ethereal glow, providing a perfect hiding spot.
As they crouched beneath its protective canopy, they caught their breath, glancing at each other in disbelief.
Meanwhile, in a distant part of the forest, a pixie named Lumi lay on a log, bored out of her mind.
The commotion from the high orcs jolted her awake.
Stretching her tiny wings and ascended, she squinted into the distance, spotting the seven hulking figures.
A playful smile spread across her face. "Ooh, this looks like fun!" she exclaimed, fluttering toward them.
"Hey! I'm Lumi want to play with me?!" she called out, her voice high and cheerful.
The orcs glanced at her, dismissively swatting at her like an annoying fly.
"Hmp... That was rude!" Lumi puffed, her cheeks puffing up in indignation.
She blew at the nearest orc, sending it flying back with surprising force, crashing into a mountain.
A boulder tumbled down, squishing the orc.
Lumi giggled, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Want to play again?" she taunted, but the orcs, lacking any semblance of strategy, charged at her with reckless abandon.
As the guild members watched from their hiding spot, they were both horrified and amused by the sight of the tiny pixie effortlessly dispatching the orcs.
"Is she…?" Kendrick started, his voice trailing off in disbelief.
Lumi darted around, dodging their clumsy attacks with ease, yawning in mockery.
"You guys are slow!" she teased, and the orcs only seemed to grow more furious.
Suddenly, she caught sight of the guild members. With a warm smile, she zipped toward them, ignoring the chaos behind her.
"Hello! Do you want to play?"
The guild exchanged nervous glances, unsure how to respond.
The orcs, realizing their target had slipped away, charged after Lumi, their battle cries echoing through the forest.
Kendrick stepped forward, sword at the ready. "Get back!" he warned, but Lumi was undeterred.
"Play time is over for you orcs!" she declared, and with a flick of her wrist, conjured a gust of wind so powerful that it flattened the charging orcs on contact.
As the dust settled, the guild members slowly stood up, brushing themselves off.
Lumi floated down, clapping her hands in delight. "That was fun!"
Kealith kneeled before her, admiration in his eyes. "Are you one of the guardians of this forest?"
"Ding-nga-ling-nga-ling! That's right I'm Lumi" Lumi chimed playfully, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
"Oh such blessing it is to meet the guardian Fairy of this Forest" Kendrick praised.
"I'm a pixie, not a fairy!" She flitted closer to Kealith's face, her expression serious.
"Don't ever mix me up with a fairy again!"
Kealith, taken aback, raised his hands defensively. "My apologies! But your powers are… remarkable, Pixies do not have any powerful feats."
Lumi puffed her chest proudly. "I'm the only pixie with powers like a fairy! So there!"
"What are you doing here in the forest?" Lumi asked, genuinely curious.
"We were sent to clear out the spinickles and the high orcs," Kendrick explained.
Lumi's eyes widened in shock. "Did the spinickles bloom?"
Kealith assured her, "No, not yet. We just plucked out the location of where they had grew."
Relieved, Lumi sighed. "Oh good! I forgot to take care of them."
The guild members chuckled awkwardly, and Kendrick spoke up.
"Thank you for your help, Lumi. We appreciate it," he said earnestly.
"It was nothing! Now we can play!" she insisted, her excitement palpable.
Kendrick raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by play?"
"Play! I want to play!" Lumi exclaimed, bouncing in mid-air.
The guild members exchanged glances, skepticism mixing with intrigue.
"We have a mission to finish first," Kendrick stated firmly.
Lumi pouted, crossing her arms. "That's not fair! I want to play!"
"We have duties to attend too Just like you have in maintaining order and peace to the forest" Kendrick replied gently. "We'll play once we've completed our mission."
After moments of negotiation, Lumi finally agreed, albeit reluctantly. "Fine! But you'd better keep your promise!"
With that settled, Kealith added, "Kendrick hasn't visited her forest since the war ended. I'm sure she's been waiting for him."
Kendrick sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I just haven't had the time for games," he admitted, glancing at Elara, who nodded knowingly.
Just then, Lumi zipped down the chimney, her tiny frame hovering above Kendrick. "You're a liar!" she shouted, her voice echoing in the room.
"Lumi?!" Kendrick jolted up in surprise.
"Oh Lumi, Were you listening the whole time?" Kealith asked.