Chapter 250: Glimmer Grove_Realm of Monsters

Chapter 250: Glimmer Grove

 The trees of Glimmer Grove were quite different from those of Vulture Woods. Stryg was ustomed to gnarled trees of ashen bark and crimson leaves that dyed the world red when the sun shined above them.

 Here the trees were straight and their canopies reached a hundred feet high, dozens ofrge branches spanning from their brown bark. Their leaves were a mixture of greens with flecks of fluorescence that glowed soft in the night, nothing like his forest home.

 The sounds also differed. There were always noises lurking in the dark in Vulture Woods. Growls of beasts skulking in the underbrush, howls of wolf packs roaming through thend, and the impatient squawks of enormous vultures waiting on their gnarled branches for their next meal to drop dead.

 Stryg hadnt seen a single animalrger than a fox roaming through Glimmer Grove and he only heard the asional rustle of a squirrel skittering through the trees. He understood that the hunters were leading them down a safe trail, but still. This all seemed too harmless? He wondered if this was why Plum came to this ce. She had never cared much for conflict.

 Walking under a forest canopy, feeling the grass brush past his feet, being surrounded by trees, Stryg had thought all these things would make him feelfortable, as if he was back in Vulture Woods. But instead it only made him long to see the red canopy of Vulture Woods even more than usual.

 He was beginning to grasp why Glimmer Grove and Vulture Woods were considered different forests, despite bordering each other.

 What am Iining about? Im still alive, arent I? he sighed to himself. He leaned back on the tough bark of a tree and nced about the makeshift camp.

 A couple of bedrolls and a small fire were all they had. The group of hunters and mages had left the majority of their supplies back at the edge of the forest. Not that there was much left in that campsite either, the dragon had destroyed practically everything and everyone there.

 Few had gotten outpletely unscathed. Less than a dozen hunters had made it out at all. Their centaurs had all scattered at the dragons attack and none had returned. Fortunately, Strygs ssmates and professors had alle out alive. Gale and Loh had suffered some injuries, but they were doing fine now.

 However, Ismene was still unconscious; she rested on one of the bedrolls near the fire. Callum and Freya took turns casting healing spells over her, trying to keep her stable long enough for them to reach some proper healers in Undergrowth. Stryg wished he could help, but Loh stopped him from interfering, assuring him that Ismene would make it.

 The sight of the stern, but kind old woman lying unconscious bothered Stryg more than he liked to admit.

 Loh walked over to him and rested her hand over his shoulder, Dont just stand all broody over here, youll scare the hunters. Lets get you warmed up. Maybe a bit of food too.

 ...Right, Stryg nodded numbly and let Loh drag him next to the fire.

 Food was scarce, the hunters had managed to kill only a single deer in the woods. They were skinning and preparing it now to cook over the fire. Stryg would have thought the hunters inability to gather more food spoke tremendously to their ipetence, but after the loss of their tribe, or guild as they called it, he refrained from voicing his opinion.

 Astrid, leader of the hunters, stoked the campfire while she asionally nced at the camp''s surroundings. Tauri sat around the fire, her knees huddled close to her chest. Vayu and Cornelius sat on a stone bench the dwarf had made with his green magic. Lysa and Gale polished their des with rhythmic measured strokes in the firelight.

 Sylvie held her hands out in front of the fire for warmth and twisted her lips with a sigh, Summer is almost here and its still so damn cold.

 Cornelius chuckled, his breath a white wisp in the frigid night, This is nothing. You should visit Frost Rim someday. Even on the summer solstice you cant walk about the city without wearing a thick fur cloak.

 Ive been to Frost Rim and all I can say is that I understand why you left, Sylvie shivered.

 Hey, its cold, but its home, Cornelius smiled half-heartedly. I miss it

 Im sorry but is no one going to talk about what we saw out there? Callum spoke up. I mean, that was a dragon, right? We saw an actual real life dragon, not four hours ago! When was thest time a dragon was spotted in Dusk Valley?

 Vayu sighed, Ive been hearing rumors of dragon sightings in the valley, more so than the usual I never thought they might be true.

 We should probably write down everything we saw and send a report to Hollow Shade, Tauri said. The city council and military need to know what is happening,

 Whats there to say? Gale muttered. The dragon came, we couldnt stop it, and it killed most of us

 And then something killed that monster, Astrid said grimly.

 The group suddenly grew very quiet, the crackle of fire the only noise amidst the silence.

 It happened so fast. I thought the dragon was going to kill us, Cornelius swallowed. And then, bam, a sh of light, and the dragon was dead.

 What was that? Freya mumbled.

 Whatever it was, Im just d were alive, Sylvie rubbed her arms.

 Stryg pulled his ck cloak taut over his shoulders, It wasnt just a whatever. ...It was Lunae.

 Lunae? The goddess?! Cornelius burst intoughter. Kid, even if the gods are real, which is doubtful, what makes you think they would evere to save us, huh?

 A consensus of grunts and nods rang through the campfire.

 Stryg fidgeted, I dont know I really dont know. Im thest person Lunae would ever want to help But I know what I saw. The pir of light it came from the moon.

 I saw it too, Tauri nodded. I dont know why or how, but Lunae saved us, all of us.

 Hmm, Im not sure the gods are even out there, Vayu sighed. But I dont really have a better exnation either.

 Freya shook her head, Like anyones gonna believe that we saw a dragon. What are we gonna tell people? That we just so happened not to get eaten by a dragon after it killed everyone else, and that Lunae also just so happened to strike down the dragon from the sky like some fucking fairy tale?

 I dont know what saved us, but we got lucky Lysa said darkly. That dragon was young, a few centuries at best.

 What? How would you know? Loh narrowed her eyes.

 Lysa drew her fingers across her de in a slow manner, I grew up in the jungles of the Amber Realm. Dragons flew across the sky, terrorizing thends and its people below.

 Im sorry, Miss Beautiful, but I call bullshit, Cornelius chuckled. Either you''re over 300 years old, in which case youre the oldest youngest-lookingmia to ever grace existence, or youre not from the Amber Realm. Cornelius looked around the fire, Am I right?

 The hunters looked away, none dared aggravate the deadlymia. Vayu, Tauri, and Loh shared a nce of uncertainty. Sylvie turned quizzically to Callum and Freya for answers, but they both just shrugged.

 I believe her, Stryg said quietly.

 Lysa''s tail stiffened at his voice, but she kept a calm expression.

 Cornelius shook his head, Kid, the Schism happened three centuries ago. The realm bridges were lost, all of them. We lost contact with the other realms. Who knows if they even still exist?

 The realms are doing just fine, Ive seen them, Lysa said.

 Corneliusughed under his breath, Fine, lets say for a second that youre telling the truth. How did you see all of this? The realm bridges are gone.

 Lysas lips curled back in a thin line, There are other ways to travel between the Realms.

 Such as?

 ...The chrome gates.

 The fabled chrome gates, Cornelius conceded with a nod, Okay, it''s technically possible. Except there were only a few gates ever built on the Ebon Realm and they were all destroyed. Even if one somehow had survived, it wouldnt work. Not anymore

 One did, I traveled through it, Lysa smirked.

 Yeah, righ-

 Cornelius, close your mouth, Loh snapped. Were not here to argue like children. Lysa, you said the dragon was young? Why?

 Lysa tightly gripped the handle of her longsword and stared out into the darkness with a wary gaze, Because Ive seen it an entire dragon brood. Ive seen hatchlings, juveniles, adults, even elders, and I saw her She shivered, ...I saw a dragon lord.

 Gale stared at Lysa, baffled. She had never seen the deadlymia so terrified, ...What happened?

 ...What always happens when a dragon takes to the sky, Lysas hands trembled. The dragon we saw tonight was smallpared to their elders. If it had been an elder dragon, none of us would have escaped.

 Well, thats terrifying, Sylvie swallowed.

 Elder dragon or no, if Lunae really did save us tonight, then no beast or monster would have hurt us, Tauri said.

 In the Amber Realm, dragons are seen as divine creatures, dragon lords are worshiped as gods, Lysa said. Are you still so certain your precious moon goddess would have saved us?

 I believe, Tauri said resolutely.

 Lysas forked tongue slipped out and tasted the air, So this orc is crazy, go it.

 Stryg, youre a Sylvan goblin, why arent you saying anything? Tauri kicked his foot.

 Huh? Stryg blinked.

 Shes your patron goddess, right? For once act like a good student and back me up here, Tauri clicked her tongue.

 Loh smiled to herself knowingly, but said nothing.

 I was born under a moonless night, my tribe said I was a bad omen, Stryg said wryly. I dont think Lunae cares what I say or think.

 Cant you at least be a little pious? Defend the goddess name when people insult her, dammit! Tauri frowned.

 Not really my problem, Stryg said.

 Lunae saved us, it is your problem. You owe her that much and more, Tuari said, annoyance clear in her voice.

 Stryg shrugged, If Lunae really did save us, then I was just caught up in the rescue, a small byproduct of her divine intervention. Im grateful to be alive, but I havent forgotten the past. I know what Lunae thinks of me and it isnt worth much.

 You all really are a bunch of heathens, Tauri groaned.

 Im not, Callum said, offended. When we get to Undergrowth Ill make sure to stop by an ebon temple and make an offering to Lunae and the rest of the pantheon.

 Good, Tauri nodded with a proud smile.

 We still have a few days before we get to Undergrowth, Astrid said. I suggest we rest while we can. We dont know if there are more dragons roaming the area.

 Agreed, Loh nodded. She nced at herpanions, After we eat, get some sleep, Ill take the first watch with some of the hunters.

 Stryg and his ssmates nodded without a word.

 If you say so, Ill dly take you up on your offer, Cornelius smiled.

 My dire bear and I will take the first watch, Loh, Vayu said softly. Youre still injured, we need our general in top shape.

 ...Im not yourmanding officer anymore, Loh said begrudgingly, but sheid down on her bedroll and closed her eyes.

 ~~~

 The hunters did not sleep that night; they held a vigil in honor of their fallen brothers and sisters, whispering silent prayers for the lives lost. Tauri joined them and led a war prayer in Bellums name as the daughter of the martial Great House Katag.

 In the morning, the group packed up their few belongings and began their trek through the woonds. As the days passed by and they traveled deeper into Glimmer Grove, the forests green leaves began to change into dark shades of purples and pinks. At night the leaves glowed with soft pink and purple luminescence.

 Sylvie and Freya loved the mystical atmosphere of the forest. Callum had even imed to have seen a fairy flitting through the trees, though only Sylvie believed him.

 As for Stryg, he hated all of it. The forest was too bright at night, it bothered his eyes. The others said they enjoyed the bioluminescence, it illuminated the dark woods and made it easier to travel at night. Stryg disagreed, he could already perfectly see in the dark. And now there was nowhere to hide. Worse, they were all perfectly visible to any predator that might blend into the surroundings, just waiting for an unsuspecting prey.

 On the fourth day, the small group of travelers broke through the tree line and reached arge grassy clearing. In the distance stood a menagerie of buildings sprawled aroundrge and small trees alike.

 Stryg cocked his head to the side deep in thought. The city was still a few miles away, but even from here it seemed very different than Hollow Shade. The City of Shades had been built in the precise, methodical strokes of the ebon lords. But the City of Thorns seemed as if it had grown out of the ground itself, like saplings sprouting out from the tall grass, vying against each other for sunlight.

 So this is Undergrowth? Stryg muttered.

 Lohughed and pulled his arm, Come on, you havent seen anything yet.

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Chapter 250: Glimmer Grove