Their adventure had brought them to a forest far from Magnolia. They didn't know what they were looking for. There was something a little off about this forest.

"The aura of this forest... it's strange." Eureka scanned the surroundings.

"I agree, something is not right here. It smells funny... This whole place is giving off a sort of energy. It feels like there's a strong, concentrated source of magical energy somewhere nearby."

"It's radiating through the ground!"

"I think we should head east. We might find what it is." Neveah pointed towards the centre of the forest. She could sense this is where the strange aura was coming from.

"Let's go! I hope it's a big forest monster so I can fight it."

"If it's a fight you're itching for, I will happily oblige." A sinister smile grew on Neveah's face.

"No thanks, I don't want to die!" Eureka threw her hands up in surrender. They headed east and the forest became thicker to the point where they couldn't see far enough ahead and the sunlight was only dripping through the tree tops. They suddenly stopped.

"Do you feel that? Eureka… did the energy just shift?"

"It feels that way. Wait, I think it's not only shifted but it feels like… it's getting closer."

"It's coming from the north now!" Nevaeh turned her body and stood back to back with Eureka.

"We need to be careful…"

"Yeah, whatever it is, it's moving towards us and could come at us at any moment, Eureka.." Nevaeh's spine twanged. "Eureka…." She looked behind her shoulder and Eureka was gone, without a sound. It felt very close, and at least she could still sense Eureka's magic. Then something grabbed her leg and flung her into the air by her ankle.

"What the hell!" it was as if the forest was alive. She was slammed into the ground. The thing that had hold of her was plant like.

"Leave." A female voice bounced through the trees. It was echoing all around, making it difficult for Nevaeh to pinpoint the source's location. "Leave this forest now."

"I can't, you're holding me! Stupid tree!" She tried crawling away but to little success. "Eureka, where are you?"

"The guilty will be punished for trespassing." The voice called out.

"Trespassing?! You're a freaking forest. Who do you think you are?" Nevaeh continues to shout at the vines and trees.

"Great, you've gone crazy, talking to trees." Eureka wasn't too far away. Nevaeh was biting down on a branch. "Yup she's officially lost it." She said to herself.

"Leave now! Or face punishment!" the voice persisted.

"Ahhhhh! The forest just replied!" Eureka began shaking a little.

"Try it! I'll burn you!" Nevaeh was preparing to unleash her flames.

"She'd probably enjoy being punished…"

"I heard that Eureka!" She fired her dragon roar at the tree root which burned away in seconds. She was freed. After picking herself up she ran towards what she thought might be a clearing, where she heard Eureka's voice come from. She found Eureka bound to a tree by vines and roots. Her clothes were ripped and her hands were tied above her head.

"Uh… I'll leave you to it…" Nevaeh started to walk away.

"Get back here! It's not what it looks like!" Eureka was red with anger and embarrassment.

"That tree is a pervert!" She used her fire dragon iron fist on the tree, bringing it down and freeing Eureka. They began to run but had no idea which way they were supposed to go.

"It's following us, whatever it is." Nevaeh turned round but couldn't see anything. The ground rose up and broke apart as a giant tree root hit them up into the air. Now airborne the girls were vulnerable. They were out in the open and still unable to see their enemy. Sol and Luna were miles away and unable to help.

"Hey, I think I just saw something." Eureka pointed to the trees underneath them. A blurred shadow was bouncing between the trees.

"Yeah, I just saw it too. It's strange though. I can't smell anything distinctive. It just smells like... forest."

Throw me down, I'm taking them out!" Nevaeh grabbed Eureka by the arm and swung her around and then down.

"Ice-Dragon Tundra!" Eureka froze all the ground and trees around her but again the tree roots broke through and she was bombarded by attacking roots and vines. She used her arms to shield her face. The attacks ceased and this was her chance.

"Show yourself!" A figure moved between the trees and landed in front of her. It was a young girl, possibly around Wendy's age. She had green hair and brown eyes. She looked very thin… "Who are you and why are you attacking us?" Eureka's voice was a little less harsh upon seeing this girl.

"I am a child of this forest, you intruded on my home. Now Leave!" at the girl's will, the trees proceeded to attack again. Eureka leapt into the air to dodge and used her Ice-Dragon Roar. The vines grabbed the girl and moved her to safety, avoiding Eureka's ice.

"So she uses some kind of plant magic? Ice kills plants, so let's do this!" she copied Gray's Ice-Make Cannon and fired relentlessly and eventually landed a hit on the girl.

"Are you planning on coming down?" Eureka looked up to see Nevaeh had used fire make magic to create wings of fire.

"Nah, I'm just chilling." They then noticed the young girl was laid on the floor and had begun to cry.

"Hey, why are you crying?" Eureka had made her way over. "You started this fight!"

"She's just a child. Why are you out here alone?" Nevaeh's motherly instincts had kicked in and she was now stood next to the young girl and spoke in a soft tone.

"I live here. This is my home. I failed to protect it." The girl sobbed more.

"Where are your parents?" Eureka and Nevaeh exchanged worried glances.

"I lost them a long time ago. The forest was burning and they were gone." The girl explained.

"I see, do you have a name?" Eureka asked.

"I don't know."

"Listen, we can't just leave you here." Nevaeh started thinking.

"The forest protects me, I can make it do what I want." The girl started backing away.

"Yes, you're a talented young wizard. I think you should come with us!"

"What?!" Eureka was confused.

"C'mon, cant have a guild with just two wizards." Nevaeh smiled.

"Guild?" The girl didn't understand.

"It's where wizards work together and complete missions, find work and make friends." Eureka explained.

"Friends…?"

"Yeah, we can be friends, if you want?"

"I've never had friends before." The girl stood up and smiled.

"So you've lived in this forest, you said you're a child of this forest… I know! Moriko." Nevaeh had thought of a name for the child.

"Moriko?" Eureka looked at her then the child.

"Where I come from, it means 'child of the forest'.

"I like it! Hi, my name is Moriko!" She began to jump and skip.

"Where even do you come from…." Eureka thought to herself, remembering all the strange things Nevaeh has said in the past. With the new edition they pressed on.

Some time later.

"Where is master Nevaeh?" Moriko asked looking around.

"I'm over here!" She called out. "I found the source of that weird aura." They leaned in.

"What is it?" Eureka asked.

"It's how I got my magic." Moriko answered. "When I first touched this, I was suddenly able to command the plants."

"It seems this is a lacrima, infused with dragon-slaying magic."

"How is that possible?" Eureka asked.

"I'm not sure, but it seems only a portion of its power was transferred to Moriko. I can transfer the rest of it, making her stronger and a full-fledged dragon slayer.

This was the birth of a new dragon slayer: The forest dragon slayer, Moriko.