Chapter Sixteen: The Unwelcomed
"I must confess," Logan spoke as they road into the dark woods, trees around them so high that the sunlight barely reached in, a perfect hunting ground for Corruption, "I was out of my mind sending people here."
"Why on earth would you have people live here? It's so creepy," Echo spoke shaking a bit as if the trees themselves were glaring at the intruders.
"I was desperate for resources to fight the Crawler, I thought stupidly at the time that if I built settlements here we could bring the forest under the crown's control, however, I didn't anticipate what truly hid in the shadows here," Logan spoke keeping an eye out for anything that could attack.
"A darkness prowls these woods, many centuries ago before the Hero of Oakvale time the forests were wide and massive, but when human settlement expanded the woods became more and more angry," Gabriel spoke as they reached roots that blocked the way that slowly moved out of the road leaving Saker, Echo and Tali wide eye in shock.
"Did the bloody roots just move?! Are the trees alive?!" Saker spoke looking around in shock expecting to see a face on the trees around them.
"I've heard of this before, Forest Spirits, human in their previous lives who died wrongly and returned as vengeful spirits that latched themselves to the very trees themselves, when a tree is chopped down the spirit is in pain, and will become very violent and very dangerous," Tali spoke looking around as well feeling that they were indeed being watched.
"Oh, thank Avo, sunlight" Echo sighed in relief as they entered a section of road where the tree was parted and allowed sunlight to enter.
"It won't last," Logan warned as they road down the path reaching a wood bridge where they saw roots around them moving and slithering as the woods became dark again.
Continuing with their path Saker brought a cigar to his mouth then hesitated for a moment thinking against the idea and put the cigar back in one of his pockets.
Seeing what Saker did Echo nodded, "Smart move, I don't think the wood spirits here would like the smell of that nasty tobacco."
Approaching a village Logan found it odd there was a lack of Corruption perhaps the light prevented it from reaching this location, however, there were other settlements and with his growing powers could sense the Corruption lurking nearby in these woods.
Seeing villagers working away, some chopping wood and others doing laundry Tali wonder if the people here were happy living among the trees.
"Let's press on, we don't need to stop here," Logan spoke reaching a fork in the road taking the left road where after driving for a while they approached another bridge with ancient ruins to their right sitting on a waterfall.
"Who builds a fortress on a waterfall? Not a very clever idea," Echo spoke as they continued along the road.
"We should be approaching Scratchvien soon, it is a mining village, could be where the next agent is hiding," Logan spoke seeing nightfall was approaching.
"One good thing did come from farming for resources here Logan, the iron and steel collected from these mines have crafted many armor and weapons for the kingdom, while the lumber collected also built many roofs for Albions people," Gabriel spoke.
"So not entirely bad that you sent people here," Tali spoke scooting a bit closer to Logan, feeling uneasy in these woods.
"I recall my first time riding through these woods, though in my timeline these villages were long abandoned and the sole survivor was a good friend of mine named Fergus," Gabriel spoke recalling his short time with the man he called a friend once.
"What happened to Fergus?" Echo asked hearing Gabriel not reply, "Oh...I'm so sorry Gabriel, this place must bring back some bad memories for you."
"Not all bad, Fergus was...a brave man, his death played a major role in me defeating one of the Corrupter Agents, in fact, he was the main reason why I decided to keep the gauntlets, though I am curious, with the changes that will be made, would this village be abandoned? Will I be destined to meet Fergus again? Even this new timeline keeping secrets from me," Gabriel spoke looking at the woods on the map table.
"Bet he was a good laugh," Saker chuckled crossing his arm.
"He was I even recall this old song he sang when we traveled together," Gabriel spoke recalling Fergus's words, "Driving down a dusty trail, come sun or rain or wind or hail. The road is hard, the journey long. Let's drive all day as we sing this song! Bum-ba-dum-pah! Ha, ha, ha!"
Laughing Logan smiled almost able to see Gabriel was smiling, "he sounds like he was very good company."
"Indeed, he was," Gabriel spoke as they approached the mining village seeing people at work going into the mines and pushing out a cart full of freshly mined iron ores.
"Hmmm no Corruption here, where is that agent hiding? Gabriel, are you sure there is one here?" Tali asked as they drove through the village.
"Positive, you must venture deeper into Thornwood, that is where the agent lies in wait, it will make its presence known now that night has fallen," Gabriel spoke.
"Woodseed the next village," Logan spoke looking around to the woods around them on the road lit by road lamps.
When they entered a large community area where homes were built in the trees all around them, they could see many women, men, and children all returning to their homes, the parents taking care to lock up livestock in stables and lighting silver nitrate flamed lamps near their homes.
"I know that smell anywhere," Saker spoke looking around to the darkness in the woods, "Balverines are here in these woods too it seems."
Driving on Gabriel appeared in a beam of light at the home of Fergus though the house was still under construction and Fergus himself has yet to be born, Gabriel could see it all, the memories of his past.
"Master Gabriel, are you ok?" Jasper asked having noticed when Gabriel had left the Sanctuary.
"I am," Gabriel spoke touching a chain of a lit lantern, "before he died...he was so alone, lost all his friends, his beloved wife, just him and ole Bessy. When he and I fought the Devourer, he had a chance to run, he could have left me to die but he turned back and saved me, he died at peace, reunited with his Peg."
With a smile, Gabriel turned to look at the thriving village before him before returning to the Sanctuary.
As the sun set Logan and the other heroes reached a lava field near the Forge of Fire stepping off and approaching the forge the heroes looked around to see the remains of many poor victims.
"These poor people," Tali spoke sadden at the fate of the innocent who had been killed their attention was brought to a crystal that suddenly glowed bright when magma heated it up, "w-what the?!"
"Bloody hell!" Saker winced shielding his eyes, "What is that?"
Once the light died down Logan approached the massive crystal grabbing a piece and breaking it off to examine it.
"Each of you should gather a coin purse amount of these shards, those are Everblaze Gems," Gabriel spoke while the heroes each picked some of the gems.
"I've heard of these! If you heat them up they emit a bright blinding light!" Echo spoke admiring the gem shard she collected and grabbed a few more, "Why are we collecting these?"
"Isn't it obvious? These puppies are worth a fortune because the damn things are bloody hard to get," Saker grinned filling two bags full so far.
"Why are they so hard to collect?" Tali asked tying her drawstring bag clothes once she finished collecting the gems.
"Because they only form in Balverine...infested...lava fields..." Saker spoke realizing they were sitting ducks.
"They also could turn the tide of war in our favor, use these shards sparingly, and perhaps it could sync with the Divinity Gems once the time is right," Gabriel spoke as Tali removed the largest stone and kept it safe with the Archon's Dream she had hidden away.
Hearing a howl Logan turned to see the light of the sun vanish as Corruption began to flood down the hill towards them forcing the heroes to flee closer to the entrance of the temple.
With Corruption circling around them, the heroes watched as Corrupted Balverines began to rise up from the Corruption growling and hissing before their howls synced with a louder howl.
A massive claw then reached out of the Corruption then with a spike back a Balverine-like monster began to rise towering over the heroes with a mask over its snout and a long tongue.
"The Howler, be careful it controlling the other Balverines!" Gabriel warned as the Howler roared at them the Corrupted Balverines rushing out of the Corruption towards the heroes.
Launching a Light spell Logan began to slash and shoot at enemies that came at him, Tali also did the same with Echo at her side smashing her staff down Balverine's skulls and Tali stabbing her katana through their bodies.
Punching and blocking the Balverine claws Saker noticed the Howler on all four as the quills on its back began to shake and grow, and the Howler began making an odd noise.
Raising his eyes Saker punched a Balverine aside and rushed to the others, "Logan put up a shield!"
Hearing Saker's command Logan's eyes widen as the Howler launched its quills into the air and at the heroes who all ducked behind Logan who placed up the counter barrier repelling the sharp massive spikes that dug deep into the ground and even impaled some of the smaller Balverines.
"Ngh!" Logan grunted trying to keep the barrier up but the shield began to crack as more spikes kept raining down.
Looking around Tali noticed a large chunk of Everblaze on a chain high above on a beam, "Saker! That beam! Throw me up there! Logan when the shield breaks be ready to put up another!"
"Right!" Logan nodded waiting for the right moment and drop the shield allowing Saker to grab Tali and with a powerful throw launched her over the Howler and onto the beam.
Placing a shield back up Logan blocked more raining quills while Tali ran up the beam and stood directly above the gem.
A corrupted Balverine then landed before her on the beam making Tali stumble a bit and turned to see it lunge at her, with a quick slice of her katana she knocked it off into the pool of Corruption below.
"Lass hurry up!" Saker yelled using his hands to try and keep the shield up with Logan while Tali began to charge her spell.
"Firework!" Tali shouted with a snap of her fingers sending the spinning red firework into the Everblaze Shard erupting a bright light that made the Howler roar in pain and blind the area in a blinding light.
"Now!" Logan yelled dropping the spell and rushing when they saw the Corruption had burned off the massive Howler.
Running Tali jumped off the high beam spinning her sword and stabbing it down into the Howler's neck, with a roar the Howler tried to shake her off while down below Saker punched one of its legs making it stumble down.
"Light!" Logan yelled hitting the Howler in the side of its head before plunging his blade into the monster's eye.
All then went silent as Tali and Logan removed their blades stepping back as sunlight shinned down burning away the Corruptions across the lava field and making the Howler's body burn away.
Panting Logan sat down, exhausted like the others, "Is it just me or are they getting harder to kill instead of easier?" Saker spoke putting a cigar in his mouth and lighting it.
"Not just you, they do seem to have gotten stronger," Tali agreed turning to Logan, "are you okay Logan? You used up a lot of Magic with this fight."
"I'll be good once we rest up," Logan spoke turning to Echo who got up.
"Let regroup at the Sanctuary then, rest up then go after the next agent," Echo spoke.
Using their guild seals the group returned to Sanctuary where Gabriel showed them the now upgraded map table.
"Is that really how big Sarmarkand is?" Echo asked now able to see more than just a small port town of Tali country.
"Yes, my homeland is very vast, I'm more impressed with the growing lights on the map table," Tali spoke seeing the lights growing.
Noticing the lights above Bowerstone Castle Logan concluded those lights had to be the Queen's doing, "So Gabriel where are we going to next?"
"Aurora," Gabriel spoke pointing to the single agent that now occupies the desert country.
"Those poor people, having just rebuilt their lives after years of torment by the Corrupter's claws now living in fear again with this new darkness," Echo spoke sadden for the struggles of the Auroran people.
"We will help them soon, that a promise," Logan spoke narrowing his eyes at the agent mask that floated over Aurora.