AN: So much for trying to keep my chapters under 4000 words :D But at least we're getting close to the true theme of this saga. Action and intrigue will be in the following chapters. Until then, hope you enjoy reading~

Chapter 9:

The stone steps and pathways built into the spiralling green root of Yggdrasil bridged the distance between the city and the entrance into the labyrinth. Though the bridge, well maintained in spite of the heavy foot traffic, presented an amazing view of the city of Iorys as it spiralled over the rooftops, it was the large tree itself that was what drew the eye. As was the stone, heavily fortified fortress that guarded the entrance.

The large thick slabs of sandstone and gate of heavy duty steel and iron was the only reminder of the Legendary War that raged over a thousand years ago. And the lingering aftermath.

As they walked through the access, Drayce found himself looking up at the large steel gate that hung above their heads. He could easily imagine the desperation the Four Councils felt in the war's aftermath. The need to protect the mighty labyrinth and to help it heal. The mighty stone fortifications were sure to ward of many from entering. Many, but not all. The Councils were sure to have known that, which was why the Celestian mages' thought to erect golems to seal the path into Yggdrasil.

But with the power of the golems fading, it was only right that the inhabitants of the four races be allowed to venture within Yggdrasil once more. This way they can ensure that another Legendary War does not occur again.

Moving through the ancient gate, Drayce led his guild toward a small flight of stairs that would take them to the first floor of Yggdrasil. The excitement seemed to mount with each step they took. And with each step the scent of a gentle floral scent and the light of the sun grew stronger.

Finally, as they all stepped out from the stairs of stone and wood, they were inside the labyrinth.

And what they saw, what Drayce witnessed, was a beauty that exceeded all his dreams and expectations.

A forest of the most vibrant green set within pools of crystal blue water. The world around them was of pure natural beauty. The green grass, the moss covered stones, the flowers of blue, pinks, yellows and whites, crystal blue water, the twisting roots of Yggdrasil; there were no words to describe the true magnificence and beauty. Or how well they came together.

The air was so fresh and crisp, and gentle as it gently caressed the leaves high above their heads. The scent of the flowers and moist soil seemed to bolster their excitement. The chittering of birds high in the trees only added to the serenity and peacefulness of the world around them.

To finally step within Yggdrasil, a place that had been sealed away for so long, was an absolutely indescribable feeling.

It truly was amazing. Absolutely breathtaking.

To think that over a thousand years ago the mighty Yggdrasil was nearly razed to the ground by a man known simply as The Despot. And yet, at the sight of the vivid colours around them, at the freshness of the air and the magnitude of vibrant flowers, the war appeared to be nothing more than a distance memory. It was a testament to how incredible Yggdrasil truly was.

The Despot was truly arrogant if he thought he could conquer the labyrinth so easily.

As Drayce continued to survey his surroundings, he looked to his right to see a guard only a few yards away. He seemed to notice them at the same time and he made a waving motion with his hand, motioning them to go over to him. Figuring that the guard was stationed inside the labyrinth with the purpose of helping new guilds with their first mission, Drayce wasted no time in approaching him with the others in tow.

"Welcome," the guard greeted them kindly, his voice soft and surprisingly placid. "New explorers, are you? Your faces are new to me."

"Yup, a bunch of first timers," Drayce said in return as he gave a friendly salute. "Hoping to get started on the first mission."

The guard smiled softly and nodded his head. "Well, I welcome you to Tutelary Forest. I can safely assume that you are aware of what the first mission entails?"

Drayce nodded his head and was about to verbally respond when he felt something at his feet. Something that seemed to be, well, pecking at his boots. With an expression of confusion, he looked down to see a white feathered chicken pecking at the laces of his right boot. He knew immediately that it wasn't a monster; it was just an ordinary, egg-laying chicken.

That was something he hadn't expected to see or encounter.

"Oh!" the guard suddenly uttered in surprise before his tone turned to something akin to a mother scolding a child. "Deloris, stop that. Leave the nice explorers alone."

Deloris?

The guard leaned forward and scooped the chicken up off the ground, the hen sitting seemly happily in the crook of his arm. "I apologise for Deloris," he said as a gentle grin appeared on his lips. "My posting is helping with new explorers as they attempt the first mission, but I also raise chickens in my free time."

"Ah, that's cool," Drayce said in earnest as he looked over the guard's shoulder to see several more chickens of various plumages scratching at ground and pecking seemingly mindlessly into the soil. He felt a frown tug at his lips though as he turned back to the guard. "Is it safe to have them here, though? Wouldn't want them to become monster food. They're too cute for that."

The smile on the guard's lips grew a little wider, seemingly pleased by the question. "I do worry that, too, but as long as they stay with me I can keep them safe."

Drayce certainly hoped that the chickens didn't draw unwanted attention from monsters to the guard. He seemed really nice. Would be terrible if anything should happen to him or his chickens.

"By the way, the name's Drayce," he introduced himself before he set about introducing the others with a few jabs of his thumbs. "This is my guild; Blayke, Faelen, Kamali, and Fiorello. We're of the Angelward Guild."

The guard smiled and nodded his head to them each in turn. "It's nice to meet you all," he said in earnest as he set his hen, rather Deloris, back to the ground at his feet. "Feel free to call me Virgil. As I said before, it is my duty to help new guilds with their first mission. Do you need any advice on creating a map?"

But Drayce shook his head and smiled. "Nah, I have some experience with that part of the mission. Piece of cake. Though I would like to know the best locations to get the sapling and soil samples."

"I can't tell you the exact locations, but I can tell you the whereabouts," Virgil said. "The tree sample, or sapling if you prefer, is found within the centre of the floor, in front of a mighty root. The soil sample is to be taken from the most north-western corner. I'm sure you'll find them easy to spot."

"Will it be ok to bring back the same sample as everyone else?" Drayce asked as he scratched his cheek. "Wouldn't the council benefit from an assortment of different soil samples?"

Virgil looked surprised for a moment before his face smoothed out into a polite expression. "That is true, but taking samples from the same place will serve to prove that you had reached the furthest corner of the floor. Otherwise explorers would take a soil sample here and claim to have travelled deeper."

Drayce folded his arms across his chest and thought for a moment. "Yeah, ok, that makes sense actually. Never thought of it that way. But I might get a couple of soil samples anyway because I'm fanatic that way."

Virgil chuckled. "You should focus on gather the mission's samples first. After that you will be free to do as you wish. Within reason, of course."

Everything hinges on the completion of the first mission, didn't it?

Ugh, so many rules.

Drayce nodded his head idly. "One last question before we launch ourselves into the first mission; how much of the floor do we need to map before it's a passing grade?"

"You don't necessarily need to mark every nook and cranny on your first map, but seventy-percent should be enough," Virgil answered before he turned and pointed to a large stone door that was set within the natural foliage. "That doors leads to the stairs to the second floor, but I cannot let you pass through then yet."

No surprise about that.

Virgil then turned to look to his left and pointed to a path that seemed to wind deeper within. "That way will take you deeper in. If you follow that path westward before south and then east, you will find the place to retrieve the sapling sample. After that, head in a northerly direction until you find another set of doors. After a few winding paths you will find the location for the soil sample."

Drayce immediately reached into his pocket to pull out a small notepad to physically take notes with and jotted down the directions. He was glad that the guard seemed nice enough to offer him directions rather than a vague idea of where to go. The quicker he got the samples, the sooner he could concentrate on drawing the map. The map drawing part was likely to take the longest, mostly because of how dedicated he was about it.

"Man, thanks," Drayce said with sincerity as he placed the notepad back into his pocket and smiled at the man before him. "Appreciate the directions. They'll be a great help."

Virgil smiled at him in return and Drayce could see that the guard was happy to be of help. He truly seemed to enjoy helping people.

"Anything of note in the area west of the entrance?" Drayce asked as he jabbed his thumb over his shoulder.

"There is a nice fishing spot and a rather peculiar door that no one can open," Virgil answered as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "And a nice view of path ways located deeper within, but no way to access them I'm afraid."

Fishing spot and a peculiar door, huh? Interesting. He would take note of those as well and come back later to check them out. They're located close to the door, it seemed, so was something he could investigate later.

But enough stalling.

"Right, better get out butts into gear then," Drayce said with a smile as he turned his attention to the east where Virgil had indicated earlier. "Thanks for all the help."

"Feel free to return to ask me any questions you might have," Virgil said as he waved them off.

Drayce chuckled as he waved back and herded the others to follow. What a nice guard. He hoped they were all like that.

But more to the point, as Drayce led the others toward a path surrounded by pools of crystal water and twisting trunks of trees and moss cover stones, he realised the significance of where he was. He was finally here. He was finally within the nurturing branches and roots of Yggdrasil…

Tutelary Forest. The first floor. The first step. The start of a new legend. That was what the rumours and gossip spoke of the labyrinth. Of the first floor.

"So what now?" Blayke asking a question pulled Drayce from his musings and quickly reminded him that while their surroundings were incredibly beautiful, they also held peril. And as the guild's steadfast shield, he couldn't allow his mind to drift like a cloud. He needed to focus.

"According to Virgil, the sapling is the closest," Drayce answered as he reached his hand into his coat and pulled out the parchment that was to act as his map. "So makes sense to head there first."

Faelen shifted to stand next to him. "What else do we need to do?" he asked him, a hint of excitement in his voice, reminding Drayce also that it was the first time for all of his guild.

Drayce smiled down at the rover. "There are three things we need to do; pick a sapling, grab a soil sample, and map the first floor," he explained.

Blayke huffed grumpily and folded his arms across his armoured chest plate. "As expected, the first mission isn't exactly easy."

"No surprise," Drayce said as he reached into his coat again to pull out a writing utensil and compass. "They want talented explorers, not reckless novices. If you can't handle the first floor, you certainly won't handle the second."

"So what's the battle plan should we encounter any monsters?"Fiorello was the one to ask as Drayce set about finding north with his compass and made a few notations on the map, specifically the stairs in case they needed to make a quick retreat.

"I'm thinking something along the lines of me using Decoy Bunker and luring monsters' attention elsewhere while Blayke, Kamali, and Faelen concentrate on attacking, teaming up for Blayke's chain attacks," he paused in his drawing for a moment to peer down at the botanist. "Fiorello, I want you to poison the shit out of them when possible."

"Hm, sounds solid," Fiorello said in agreement before a cheeky grin appeared on his lips. "Lucky that I packed extra poison this morning."

Drayce chuckled. "Indeed."

"What about Nashoba?" Faelen asked when the white-furred wolf made a low grumbling noise in his throat, as if the wolf himself was also a little put-out that Drayce didn't have any instructions for him.

"He can be up front with me," Drayce answered. "I'm counting on his nose or ears to alert us to any danger. I'll take the lead in case of monsters." He placed away his map momentarily to ensure that his shield was within reach and that his gun, or cannon as many liked to refer to the weapon as, was also holstered and by his side.

"Ready?" he asked as he looked over his guilds, watching as they all nodded their heads in agreement and affirmation. And he smiled. "Let's get going then."

… … … … …

They moved together in a group, close together to ensure that none would stray far, but far enough to pull themselves into defensive of offensive positions for battle. And they all walked silently.

Whether from nervousness or excitement, it truly didn't matter. The silence was needed to ensure that they didn't miss a sound, to ensure that no monsters snuck up on them. And Drayce appreciated the silence, too, as it allowed him to concentrate on not only his surroundings and any possible danger, but to also keep a mental note of where they were.

As a dragoon it was his duty to use his shield to keep others safe. He was to be on the front line and react as quickly as possible. But he was also in charge of the map. Doing both at the same time was a tad difficult. Thankfully his dad had taught him how to keep a mental note on his bearings. He had a great sense of direction. Almost freakishly so if one asked Blayke about it.

Blayke could complain about his immaculate sense of direction all he wanted; it got them out of a few sticky situations when they were kids.

As they delve deeper into the tall trees and moss covered stones, he was honestly rather surprised about the amount of water that was there. There was a lot more than he had anticipated. He knew of the fresh cool lakes and pools, but he wasn't expecting to encounter so much water. Especially since the ground beneath their feet wasn't water laden or soggy in anyway.

They referred to this place as Tutelary Forest, but it felt more like a natural spring. Still beautiful, regardless.

Honestly, though, he just hoped that they didn't have to swim at some point; with his armour and shield, he would sink like a stone. He was pretty sure Blayke would as well. Not to mention the water would just ruin his gun.

There was something else that was a little peculiar. They had been wandering through the labyrinth for a good hour or so now, taking it easy, and yet hadn't encountered any monsters. Yeah, that was a little…suspicious to say the least.

He hoped the bastards weren't planning to ambush them. But maybe it wasn't the right time of day for them. Nashoba wasn't edgy or nervous though and Drayce was certain that if there was a threat nearby, the wolf would be able to sense it first.

Still, he told himself to remain on guard. If his inner compass was correct, they were pretty close to where the sapling was to be gathered. Not bad for their first day!

Pushing through a narrow pathway, they step out onto the edge of a large clearing. Three sides of the glade was surrounded with pools and streams of water, while there appear to be two separate pathways leading north, no doubt heading deeper in. But it was the large twisting Yggdrasil root covered in moss and small blue flowers that caught his attention.

He remembered Virgil telling him that the sapling was to be located near a spiralling root. That had to be the place he referred to because he also said that it was within the centre of the floor.

So Drayce immediately led his party through the clearing.

"I take it this is where we get the sapling from?" Blayke stated more so than asked as he pointed to the same place Drayce was studying with his gaze.

"Seems so," Drayce answered as they all stepped onto a small, narrow pathway with streams of water on both sides. "Only way to find out is to take a sample."

"Allow me," Fiorello said as he stepped forward with one hand shuffling around in his bag. "I have the necessary equipment to ensure the longevity of the sapling."

Drayce nodded his head in acceptance. "Perfect. Well, we've managed to complete one-third of the mission. We've also been walking around for a couple of hours now. How about a quick break? I want to scribble out the map a little more."

"Sounds good," Blayke immediately responded. "But let's head back to the centre of the clearing. That way we can see our surroundings better."

Again Drayce nodded and watched as Fiorello delicately plucked a sapling from the water's edge and placed it into a small vial. "Take good care of that sapling, Fio."

"Will do," Fiorello replied with a slight hum in his voice. "I won't turn it into poison."

Drayce just laughed as they trekked back to the centre of the clearing and Drayce finally allowed the heavy shield he had been carrying to fall to the ground with a slight thud. He then kicked at the stand with the side of his foot, to allow the bunker-like shield to stand all on its own.

"The water is fresh and clean," Fiorello said as he unexpectedly pulled out a couple of small tin cups from his bag. "So feel free to drink some."

"Good," Blayke murmured as he sat down, too.

Kamali, however, looked as though he was still full of energy as he retrieved the cups from Fiorello. "Would you like something to drink, Drayce? I can retrieve some water for you, if you like."

Drayce gave the purple-haired warlock a grateful smile. "Man, thanks, appreciate it."

Kamali returned the smile before he shuffled away a few steps toward a gently flowing stream. He bent down and carefully scooped up the water with the two cups. He quickly returned and handed one of the cups to Drayce, while he handed the other to Blayke who of which looked momentarily surprised, but thanked Kamali kindly all the same as the slender warlock sat on the grass next to him.

Drayce brought the cup to his lips to take a sip of the cool water as he reached into his coat to pull out his map again. As he finished off his much appreciated drink of water he lifted his head up to see that their wolf companion was a few steps away, quickly pawing at the ground in front of him.

"What's Nashoba sniffing at?" he asked as he set his cup to the ground in front of him.

Faelen immediately pushed himself to his feet and approached his wolf cautiously. But after receiving a small whine from Nashoba, he moved closer and knelt down to look at what his wolf had been scratching at. "There's a little stone face here," he unexpectedly said.

"Hm?" Drayce murmured as he leaned forward and squinted a little to look at what Faelen revealed as he pushed back the blades of grass. And, yep, he could see two round eyes and three lines making a mouth on a smooth round stone that appeared to be half buried in the ground. "So there is."

Blayke looked at their surroundings with an expression of suspicion with an underlying sense of curiosity on his face. "I can actually see a few of them."

"I do not sense any mana from them," Kamali commented with a very curious expression also. "They must be simple stone monuments."

Nashoba unexpectedly perked up, his ears straight atop of his head and was staring intensely in a northerly direction. He was also obviously sniffing the air.

"Nashoba smells something else," Faelen explained as he trailed behind Nashoba.

"Don't wander from sight, ok?" Drayce called out.

Uttering a low grunt, Blayke pushed himself to his feet. "I'll keep an eye on him," he said.

Kamali tilted his head in curiosity before he turned to look over at Drayce. "Should I go, too?"

"Sure," Drayce said with a shrug before he plastered a smile on his lips. "Blayke's an old worry-wart, after all."

Kamali simply nodded his head and pushed himself to his feet as well, jogging slightly to catch up with Blayke and Faelen. They stayed in a small group within the clearing though and appeared to be talking amongst themselves.

Not choosing to follow, Fiorello settled himself on the grass next to Drayce. "Looks like someone's having fun," he commented.

"They're all good kids," Drayce said around a chuckle as he turned his attention to his map. But as he began to scribble their location on the map, he found himself wondering about the botanist next him. "Hey, Fio? Can I ask you something?"

Fiorello tilted his head to the side. "Hm?"

"You've been in Iorys for a while now, right?" Drayce questioned as he idly drew on his map. "Is this your first time entering the labyrinth?"

Fiorello nodded his head. "Hmm, it is."

"Didn't you want to enter before?"

"Never really saw the point," Fiorello answered honestly as he pressed his hands onto the grass behind him and he leaned back against him. "I'm a healer; I know all about the drawbacks of the labyrinth. Also, many guilds aren't interested in having a healer until something happens. And after that? A botanist is just a dead weight, but a necessity nonetheless."

Drayce felt himself wince. "I see. What about Zohar?"

"Ah?" Fiorello unexpectedly chuckled as he looked toward him with a cheeky grin on his lips. "He's caught your interest?"

Drayce blinked in confusion. "Hah? I'm just curious, that's all."

Fiorello, however, continued to give him this cheeky and knowing look. "Is that so?" he said before he released an exasperated yet fond sigh. "Well, Zohar is a special case, I suppose. He has his own reasons for doing things. His own goals to reach. And he prefers to do things alone."

"Do you know what his goal is?" Drayce found himself asking in genuine interest.

However, the cheeky grin on Fiorello's lips faded, replaced with a faraway expression on his face. "…Tell me; do you know much of Necromancers?" he unexpectedly asked.

Drayce blinked and tilted his head to the side in question, momentarily forgetting about his map. "About necromancers? Well, not much to be honest. They are able to speak to the dead, command them into battle. And, ah, they're made not born? Although I don't know anything more than that. And I'm not sure what that means, exactly."

"Ah," Fiorello made a slight clicking noise with his tongue, but he continued to stare forward. "Many necromancers didn't take the class willingly."

Drayce slowly put the map down onto his lap. "What do you mean?"

"Necromancers are the end of the line, as it were, especially in regards of learning new class skills," Fiorello said quietly. "Once you become a necromancer, there is no turning back."

Drayce felt a knot appear in his stomach and he found himself swallowing thickly. "Are…the rumours true, then? About how the only way to gain control over wraiths and to hear the voices of the dead is to…die also? To pierce the veils between two worlds and never really reside in either?"

Fiorello sighed aloud. "Ah, the joys of rumours."

"Then, Zohar-?"

"It's not my place to say any more," Fiorello interrupted quickly.

Drayce winced and gave the pinkish-red-haired botanist an apologetic look. "Oh, am I being nosy? Sorry, I don't mean to."

"Now," Fiorello said with a click of his tongue. "I know it's not from maliciousness."

"Treasure hunters are really nosy," Drayce said as he turned his attention back to his map. "You gotta tell me if I am. I don't really see it, you see."

"You're fine," Fiorello said in a dismissive manner before that familiar cheeky grin slipped across his lips. "Though I'm sure others wouldn't hesitate to tell you, hm?"

Drayce nodded his head idly. "Mind your own damn business. I get that one a lot."

Fiorello chuckled before he paused, seemingly contemplating something, letting it mull about in his minds for a few moments. "Listen," he finally said. "Try to befriend Zohar, would you? Give him…another goal to focus on. He needs a distraction, if you will."

Drayce tilted his head to the side in confusion, but curiosity as well. "Ah, ok?"

Before he could ask Fiorello anymore questions, he found himself sitting up straight and looking at their surroundings. He thankfully immediately saw that his three other guildmates were still huddled together within sight, so it wasn't them that caught his attention. No, it was something else.

He thought he heard something. There was a sudden and tellingly foreign noise. Like that of someone uttering an involuntary yell of fright and pain. It was faint, but Drayce was more than certain he heard something.

"What was that?" he murmured.

"Drayce!" Faelen suddenly called out to him with a hint of concern in his voice. "That was a voice. I heard someone shouting!"

So he wasn't the only one who heard it. Damn.

"Where?" Drayce asked as he shoved the map back into his coat and hefted his shield with one arm.

Faelen pointed to the north, across the grassy field and toward where the path seemed to divert in a couple of direction. "Nashoba will lead us."

Drayce nodded his head as his grip tightened on his shield. Someone was very clearly in trouble. How much, he didn't know. And honestly it didn't matter. He couldn't turn his back on someone like that.

"Good," Drayce said as he reached round for his weapon with his right hand. "I'll be right behind him. Everyone else, behind me."

"Right!"