The pair ventured inwards into the corrupted orchard. It was unusually dense and filled with vines and uprooted tree parts. Small plants were stretched out and thin, like spaghettified foliage. There was a sense of something weird in the air, and it gave Rennia a feeling of corruption.
"This place is really creepy. Maybe we should turn back after what just happened…" Lyanna whispered to her, stalking behind her. "Maybe I chose the wrong job, and maybe I'm not cut out for adventuring."
"Well, we're here now. On that note, I'm guessing there's a reason you wanted to take a maiden like me out into the woods." Rennia winked at her partner in swashbuckling. That would probably backfire. She was supposed to ease Lyanna, not egg her on. She had abandonement issues for goddesses sake.
Lyanna started looking away, a blush forming on her face. "What… I would never. Bring you out here...to touch you in funny parts."
"mmmhhm, sure you are."
Something rustled in the distance. Rennia held her hand up. The air was thick and had the overly ripe smell of fruit—sickly and overly sweet, almost nauseating to an extent. The leaves shivered without the wind, and Rennia could feel something unseen lurking around them.
She turned off the thought but didn't lower her guard. "Stay close, and don't be touchy. And your eyes up here. Missy." She pointed with her fingers, and Lya bobbed her head.
"Yeah, don't worry. I won't be hasty again, sorry about that."
She was still fixated on it. Lya had a tendency to be self-deprecating whenever they were in public. She guessed having all those feelings pent-up did that to a person.
Lyanna tapped her on the shoulder. So much for don't me touchy.
"Tell me, Ren, are you mad about coming out here, or are you still mad about—"
"Lya, forget about it already. I'm not mad. I'm here for the payday. Money is tight with my elder sister gone, and my mother is sending all of our reserve funds to my sissy."
Lyanna breathed a sigh of relief. She stopped, pulled off her backpack, and pulled out a bottle of her alchemical concoction—Glimmerbrew.
"Lya, you can't drink on the job."
The girl waved her off. "I told you, it's low alcohol content. Besides, I need to take the stress off. That thing nearly mauled my tits apart."
Rennia crossed her arms. "Yeah, well, if you lose focus, whatever is in these woods will ravish us both."
"Atleast, we'd be fucked together."
"I guess. you have some wild fantasies, Lya."
Lyanna smiled then took a swig, and chugged, and chugged. Her face turned slightly reddish, and she let out an ungirly burp. "Oops. Ahh, that's better." She wiped her mouth, gripped her stave, and resumed walking.
Rennia shrugged. "Eh, fuck it, give me some."
She grabbed the bottle. As the liquid entered her throat, she didn't know she was parched. A bubbling sensation started tickling her tongue, hundreds of little bubbles popping in her mouth. She could see why Lyanna was addicted.
"Shit, this is good stuff."
"Right?" Lya grinned. "Though my dad is keeping it on a tight leash. But don't worry, I can get you some if you want."
Rennia nodded. Her head turned as the woods rustled again.
Then chills flooded down her spine. She turned, readying her blade, and watched the dark woods. A feeling of being watched crept over her, coming from the direction of the long trees that loomed over them.
"We're not alone," Rennia announced.
Lyanna gripped her staff tighter and started waving it out. She began chanting a utility spell.
"Shadow, shadows, fade away. Light, lights, burn bright! Luminare."
Lyanna's staff was set ablaze—but not with fire. A little sparkling ball threw itself into existence and settled comfortably on top of her staff.
Hearing her friend enthusiastically chant the spell made Rennia realize how much she hated chanting. Spells should be one hit tricks not the litany of a chantry. She took point, her feet posed and poised in a defensive position, her sword held out instinctively to shield her abdomen from any hungry aggressor.
The light grew like a rising tide and flickered like waves on a beach, slowly illuminating their surroundings. The golden apples, in all their shining glory, paid ode to their name. However, one tree in the distance felt off. At the center of it was a pair of glowing eyes.
No.
A second pair as well.
[Entering danger zone: Retreat if ill-prepared.]
Rennia ignored the Living System's warning, focusing on what was in front of them. Even if they did retreat, the monsters wouldn't care if they were in a danger zone or not. They would hunt them down. Kill or be killed. Whether their reasons were survival, malice, or simply the thrill of the chase—it didn't matter.
The ground below shifted suddenly. Rennia peered down, then jumped back. Roots slithered underfoot, and the one tree swooshed and swayed unnaturally, moving slowly with ill intent. This specific tree in front of her was the root of the orchard's problem.
"Lya, can you burn that tree without burning the orchard?"
The blonde shook her head. "No, my fire spells are too powerful. If I had known we would be facing bark and wood fae, I'd have brought my cantrip book, maybe my grimoire."
"Sweet goddess let me suck on your supple tits and give me strength!"
"Rennia, that's blasphempy!"
"I'm a atheist, so fuck her. And if's she pissed she can come down here and punish me. "
"Enough, blasphemy," Lyanna moaned. "Ready yourself, I'll cast a protective spell!"
"By will and ward, by force unseen, Arcane armor, be her shield. "
Rennia stared at her in disbelief. "Mage's Armor? A little dramatic, don't you think?"
That wasn't the end of it. The girl continued her chant.
"Let neither bark nor blade breach the skin of the one I hold dear! Mage's Armor!"
A blue arcane aura surrounded Rennia's body. It was ethereal but bore weight.
"Lyanna, enough! You're overdoing it!"
"I can handle the pressure!" She started chanting another spell. "Eyes grow unclouded, hands become unshrouded, guiding spirits pave the way, let friend strike true and anew!!"
Several figures emerged from the tree. The gnarled treant things walked forward slowly—several of them—moving in warped patterns and whispering in tree tongue. They were like thick-armored wild goblins. Rennia was caught between paying attention to them and her friend, who was overchanting spells.
"Guiding Sight!"
Rennia's vision shifted. She saw glowing red marks on the little treant things. Each one was different—weak spots, each in a different place from where their bark had grown.
She eyed her friend, who was huffing with exhaustion. She'd berate her recklessness afterward. Those were way too many spells for a level 6 mage to cast!
Rennia's blade met the first. It brought its wooden claws forward, thrashing at her. She stood wide open, baring the hit. It didn't penetrate her. The beast stood in confusion. She brought her blade around, piercing it in its center, where a little core resided.
The treant thing crumbled. Wood combusted and withered away. Its companions took a step back, then circled.
One lunged at Lyanna, but she reacted sharply. She conjured a massive fireball, bending and twisting as it grew with the oxygen. No chant this time—just magic. It blasted the flying treant in the face, sending bark and branches flying.
Rennia, in awe, lost her focus. A pair got close to her, slashing at her in simultaneous duality. She slashed at the things. One crumpled in one hit, the other had her blade stuck in its bark.
She gritted her teeth, shouting, "Die!" then kicked it backward. Bringing her left hand to its head, she shouted, "Firebolt." flaming sparks left her hands, and slowly, it turned to embers.
Their last foe stood, waiting for them—the corrupted treant itself. Rennia readied herself, waiting for it to attack first. The treant, angered for whatever reason, shed its outer skin, and a frail, spindly, corrupted but smaller tree stepped forward.
It swung its tendrils around, a hit meant for Lyanna. Rennia, seeing where the tendril—or rather root—was going, jumped in front of its trajectory. The hit landed on her, sending her flying away. The shield broke, and Rennia lost the clarity of the guidance spell.
"Ren!"
Lyanna retaliated. She started spamming decay spells in succession, aiming at the monster.
"Decay, decay, decay, decay!"
Rennia, standing on one leg, forced herself up, watching her friend fend off the treant. The tree beast stumbled but brought forth another arm. Rennia took the initiative, running up towards it and jumping on its branches. Swinging herself up, she stabbed the beast in its face.
The treant roared, wobbled, and then fell over. With a massive thud, the collision of the beast meeting the ground sent a shockwave through the area. It started to decay, very fast.
Rennia stared at her body. There was blood leaking from her stomach. But she was still alive, she stared at her companion who looked concerned. That was close. Way too close. At least the worst of it was over.