Jaeger Lowemon: I hope you all remember where in the first chapter Izumi said she was traveling to the Dragrenir Mountains? Well here we see her return to that quest with Takuya tagging along at the vanguard. Check it out, Read and Review.

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They had fallen asleep in the tent beside one another, and it was morning. When Izumi awoke, she was shocked, to say the least, to see Takuya's face directly in front of her. She acted rationally and shook him gently to wake him.

"Good morning" he said, shaking off the last remaining threads of sleep and emerging into wakefulness.

"What happened last night?" she questioned.

"We watched the fire, you fell asleep on my shoulder, I carried you into the tent, and I fell asleep beside you" he explained "What did you think happened?"

"I don't know" she said quietly, scratching her head.

"What about you and your abandoned quest, Izumi? I think I've deterred you long enough"

Suddenly there was a rustle from the bushes behind Takuya. Izumi noticed this and notched a bolt to her crossbow.

"Be very, very still. When I say duck, drop to the ground immediately ok?" she warned.

"Ok but why?"

You'll find out. Oh and when you hit the ground put your shield on top of you"

Suddenly a monster jumped out, one Izumi had seen before and it only appeared near to her hometown. This monster meant she was not in the best of equipment to handle it. It had armor-like skin, impervious to most weapons, its only weak spot being its unprotected neck, a target which an archer had no chance of hitting.

"Takuya turn now!" she yelled. He turned and almost immediately he came face to face with the metallic skinned beast.

"Its weak spot! Underneath its neck!" she cried out.

In one swift motion he drew his sword, and plunged it into the beast's throat. Bluish-green blood covered his hand and sword. He cleaned his sword on the grass, and used some water from the canteens to rid his hand of the rest.

'Should I go home?' she pondered.

'Should I follow her?' he wondered.

She decided to continue her quest, at least for now.

"I'm still headed to the Dragrenir Mountains. Will you follow me?" she asked him.

"Yes. My sword and I are at your service Izumi"

"Great, let's pack up and get moving"

They broke camp and started walking, following the map Izumi had bought when they'd returned the horses and saddles, walking in the direction of the Dragrenir mountains.

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They had been walking for some time when Takuya spoke.

"I've heard legends about these mountains. That as you approach them, the monsters become extremely aggressive, and I've also heard tell of a Master Stone, called the Rygonne Crystal. It is said that whoever controls the Crystal, shall control all the monsters that roam our world"

"The Rygonne Crystal controls the will of the monsters? That is intriguing" she said, a plan forming in her mind.

"Yes, but the closer you get to it, the more feral and dangerous the beasts become. That's why no one has ever reached it. Also strange rumors float around about a mysterious force that surrounds the crystal, deterring all comers who seek to control the beasts. That and the fact that the Rygonne is alleged to spawn beasts from itself is why many adventurers tend to want to avoid that range. You're the first I've seen who actually wants to go there."

With this they walked steadily on, still moving unerringly toward the Dragrenir Mountains.