Tales of Xalthia
Chapter 3: Moonlight Flower
The next two days went by seemingly in a flash. As Tsuki waited for a squad of knights to arrive from Eresseas to take the band of would-be thugs and kidnappers into custody, he has been spending his time around the village. The first day was spent pretty much exploring on his own and taking in everything. He had assisted in showing basic fighting skills to the more inexperienced town watch so that they could be more comfortable fighting if it ever came down to it and even helped out a bit around the fields. It was a fulfilling experience for him and to see the work done on the fields himself was quite a treat. He had a basic understanding of what farmers had to do on the field but didn't realize that there was so much to it. Making sure the plants and produce were growing healthy, keeping the soil well maintained and nourished, inspecting the fields for any pesticides that would hinder growth, inspecting the various pipes and systems that exude that natural barrier at night to keep monsters away and making sure there wasn't any problems with it and so much more. After seeing what was done in the fields, he could now understand why the hot springs nearby are a favored destination for the farmers. He pretty much had spent the first day helping around the village doing various numbers of tasks.
The second day he was there, he wanted to take the time to relax so a lot of his time was spent up on the hillside he and Lynette were at before or at the hot spring. Considering that he would be continuing his travels to Basilwell after the prisoner exchange happened, he wanted to be well rested for the remainder of his trip. The trek from Cresenctia to Basilwell would take him about another two days. With Basilwell surrounded by mountains, there was only one way he could take that allows public travel and that's through a cave system called the Cavern of Solace. It was a cave full of windy paths and was more out of the way. The only other way to get to Basilwell is through a transport system that runs through a separate, more traveled path through the mountains that freight and visitors from overseas take. This would have been the more obvious choice for him to take because it would have been an easier route but he would of had to go further south to reach where the transports from Basilwell connect to. That would of added another day to his travels at least and see as how he had already been delayed by two days, he didn't want to waste anymore time. The Cavern of Solace wasn't exactly a safe place to travel to as it was infested with monsters. People are told to travel through the cave system at their own peril. A calling to the average adventurer.
As the second day went by, Tsuki and Lynette got the chance to hang out together and had more opportunities to talk. He was able to see her magic firsthand and the concentration and dedication that's required for it. The people that were injured from the attack the other day had all been healed at this point so she was just doing things like basic medical stuff. He tried showing off what he knew about healing Artes but they were more for temporary pain relief as his basic first aid couldn't do anymore than heal small injuries. It put into perspective that not all healing Artes work quite the same. As the two spent time together throughout the day, Tsuki had noticed that she had been looking a little pale. She had told him that she was fine and was most likely due to her not managing her Mana properly. She looked pale the other day as well when they met up again outside the clinic after being almost visibly drained of Mana and was fine after resting for a while so he thought nothing of it.
Then, the third day finally came around. A squad of knights arrived in Crescentia somewhat late in the afternoon. Tsuki had brought out the thugs that were bound and chained together. With the knights was a carriage that was used to transport people. He helped out the knights with loading them onto the carriage and furter restraining them so they couldn't try anything to escape. There was a bit of questioning that had to be done as procedure involving Tsuki and Reia and after about a little over an hour, the transfer was complete. Tsuki and Reia had watched them soon take off with the carriage as they went down the dirt road, leading in the direction of Eresseas until they were out of sight. With the transfer done, Tsuki was now ready to continue along his way.
Tsuki stood by the gate with Reia, giving her a slight bow. He looked around to see if Lynette was going to come see him off but she was nowhere in sight. He couldn't wait for her, however, as he had wanted to get an early start on the road. "Well, looks like its about time I set off" he said.
Reia nodded with a smile, putting a hand on her hip. "Two days seemed to just fly by just like that. It happened almost too fast honestly" she said. There were days were things felt like they ended too quickly and days where it just felt like it was dragging on without end. "You're going through the Cavern of Solace, right?" she asked.
Tsuki nodded at her. It was out of the way but it was also the fastest route to get there even though there are more risks involved. "Yes. It'll get me to Basilwell faster than going through the checkpoint that the transports use. It's off the beaten path a little bit but what's a little spontaneous adventure gonna hurt?" he asked. It also served his excuse to be able to see more Cayhill that he wouldn't normally be able to. "I wanted to say goodbye to Lyn but I guess she isn't going to show up. Do you mind passing it on to her for me?" he asked.
Reia nodded with a thumbs up. "You got it. I'll make sure she gets the message. However, about your trip to the Cavern...there's something I need to-" she said. Before she could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by someone shouting her name from the village.
A frantic male voice in a slightly older tone came shouting out from the village. "Mayor, we've got a problem!" the voice shouted. There was alarm and slight panic that could be heard.
Tsuki and Lynette both looked towards the direction the voice came from and saw a middle aged man run up to them. He had dark grey hair, red eyes and glasses on. He looked to be wearing a doctor's coat as well. The man that approached them was Elune Calus, the towns' doctor that Tsuki had met the other day.
Reia approached Elune, tilting her head. It wasn't often that she saw Elune, who was a normally calm and collected person, out of sorts. "What's wrong, Dr. Calus? Why are you in such a panic?" she asked.
Elune took a moment to catch his breath as he had to run all the way across the village to find Reia. "It's Lyn! She's contracted the Virus!" he said.
This news was a shock to both Tsuki and Reia. Tsuki knew that she hadn't looked well but as assumed it was because of her mismanagement of her Mana. She tried her best to look tough but he could see that there was something wrong. He didn't know much about the Virus but he knows enough that it could kill a , it wasn't contagious so the risk of it possibly spreading wasn't something to worry about.
Reia wasn't sure how to react. It was almost like a cruel joke that she had contracted it yet again after having it nearly kill her as a child and then losing her father to it years later. "Are you sure it's the Virus?" she asked
Elune nodded, handing her some of his observations he wrote down on a pad of paper. "Yes. She had all the signs of it. She was on the way here when I saw her. She was walking around like she was a zombie, dragging and forcing herself to walk even though she was in pain. She ended up collapsing just outside the clinic where I rushed over to help her inside to check up on her and stabilize her. High fever, feelings of pain and discomfort, short of breath, loss of consciousness and so on" he said. He definitely knew that she hadn't been feeling all that well which is why he tried to give her as little work as possible over the last few days so that she could rest up. Unfortunately, it didn't help.
Reia fell into thought for a moment. Dealing a normal sickness was something healers could handle easily. When you're dealing with a potentially fatal virus however, that's a different story. She had heard the stories of how a traveling healer of unknown origin saved her when she almost died from it the first time but no one really knew exactly how he went on to cure her. Whic means, in this case, they were going to have to rely on traditional medicines and the cure that they know that counteracts it. "We still have some Moonlight Flowers left right?" she asked.
Elune shook his head. "We did at some point but they all wilted. We're not quite sure how it happened as they're suppose to be kept alive in special containers. Thankfully though, there's suppose to be a full moon out tonight where we can get more from Celestial Hills" he said. The timing couldn't have been better for them because things would not be good for Lynette if there wasn't a way to get the Flower.
Tsuki was concerned at the amount of time she had before things would get worse. It was still several hours away from the evening hours. "How is she holding up? Can she make it that long?" he asked.
Elune looked over at Tsuki and nodded at him. "Yes. Modern medicines have improved since the last time this has happened to her so their effects should be much stronger than before. Not only that but her body and immune system have become rather tough thanks to what happened to her when she was younger. She looks like she's in pain now but she shows no signs of her health failing" he said. Normally, a person would have immediate effects on their health and body when contracting the Virus. For the moment at least, all she is experiencing is extreme discomfort.
Reia felt a great sense of relief. If her body and immune system showed no signs of immediate deterioration, that gives her hope that they will be able to make it in time. "Alright, keep your eyes on her and do what you can to ease her pain. I'll gather some people and supplies and head out to Celestial Hills" she said.
Tsuki listened as they went back and forth and formulated a plan of action. He should be getting on with his mission but his morals as a person and a knight prevent him from doing so. "I'll go with you. It's best to travel in a small group. That way, we'll be able to move around more easily and faster" he said. He would further delay his mission but he couldn't ignore this as it was happening under his watch.
Reia was surprised that Tsuki had offered his help so easily and without hesitation. He had already delayed his mission by two days and he would continue to cause delays just to help them. "Oh no, you don't have to. You're already running behind on your mission as it is. I couldn't possibly ask for your help" she said.
Tsuki shook his head and tapped his hand against his chest. "Did you forget? It's a knights' duty to ensure the safety and well-being of civilians. Walking away from this would be a dishonor. Besides, she's helped me around the village over the last few days so it's my turn to do something for her" he said. He wasn't going to leave her to suffer and potentially lose her life. If there was anything he can do, he was going to do it.
Reia thought about it for a moment and sighed. She soon looked at him and gave him a nod. "Alright. You and me will go secure more Flowers. In the meantime, make sure you get the medicine ready for the mixing" she said, looking over at Elune.
Elune nodded. "Leave it to me. I'll let everyone know what's going on as well in case anyone looks for you" he said. He then turned around and hurried off back in the direction he came from.
Reia wanted to waste no time. They were to leave immediately. "Alright, let's get a move on. Celestial Hills is located to the west of here along the western cliffs" she said.
They set out from the gates and started to make their way westward. It would take them roughly about an hour and a half if nothing too crazy happens along the way. Thankfully, their trek westward was pretty uneventful. They fought monsters native to the Great Plains and fought off your odd bandit or two. As they traveled, the two decided to use the time together to talk amongst themselves since they didn't really have a whole lot of opportunities to talk over the last few days. Reia had been busy handling affairs and Tsuki was doing his thing around the village. Even under a sense of urgency, they needed to keep their cool. They were going to have to wait until nightfall to pick the Flowers anyway as they only bloom in certain locations under the light of a full moon. These were in such high commodities that they're carefully picked and placed in special containers where they wouldn't normally wilt but things do happen.
They soon arrived at the entrance to Celestial Hills. At first glance, it looked like a rather peaceful forest and during most of the year, it is. Pathways are well maintained and looks like a place tourists would go to visit. Flowers and other plants grew in abundance among the brush and trees. It was a favored spot for the more daring romantic couples who aren't afraid of a little adventure and danger. During this time of the year, most of the more nasty monsters are in hibernation and stay that way until it gets close to Fall. There were still dangers to the forest but the monsters that do still roam around are either on the more friendly side of things or try to avoid any contact. Though, there are still your normal aggressive monsters such as boars, slimes, bears and mandragoras. Monsters that shouldn't be an issue for most. People would come to this place for one reason in most cases and that's the view of the ocean from the flower-filled hilltop. When the flowers are in full bloom, it's quite a sight to behold. Even more so if those flowers are Moonlight Flowers.
The two of them took in the sights as this was Tsukis' first time at Celestial Hills before making their way along the pathway into the forest. The pathways that are provided and maintained don't always guarantee absolute safety but it helps prevent people from getting lost. You can see various monster trails off the beaten paths where most monsters kept to their business. As they made their way through the winding pathways, they did encounter the more aggressive monsters but nothing that they couldn't handle. After a while, it seemed that they had stopped attacking them as if they understood who they were dealing with.
As Tsuki and Reia came to a two-way intersection, Tsuki noticed some familiar looking flowers growing near the split. They were the same type of flower that the royal family had in their garden at the castle. "I have to say, this place is pretty amazing. It has that enchanted forest vibe to it that you see in picture books" he said.
Reia stopped in front of the path that led them north and looked back at him. She tilted her head for a moment and looked around the area. The smell of the flowers, the sounds of small animals running through the grass and jumping through the trees, the wind blowing through the brush. It definitely had a sense of peace. "There was a wedding that happened here a few months ago, you know. It happened at the very same hilltop we're going to. Being surrounded by all this this nature with a stunning view to serve as the cherry on top" she said.
Tsuki had heard people talk about weddings in a forest but he didn't think this was that forest. He always thought it was strange that someone would have a wedding in the middle of a forest instead of a more well-known venue. "I suppose everyone has their own way to tie the knot. I'd probably pick a place that's more easy to get to and, you know, have less monsters prowling around" he said.
Reia gave him a grin with a cheeky look. "Yeah, that's what I'd expect from you. I can just see it now; you and Princess Cheria on the podium overlooking the lake in the royal garden, locked into each others' eyes as you say your vows, pouring your hearts out to each other for all to see and then seal it all up in a ceremonious kiss" she said. She was very much aware of the rumors that have circulated around him and Cheria. Seeing as how he walking into this topic himself, she was going to tease him about it a little bit.
Reia's wild fantasy about him and Cheria getting married almost made Tsuki trip over himself. "Whoa whoa whoa! Hang on a minute! What are you talking about!? Me and Cheria!? I mean, sure, we're childhood friends and are pretty close and all, but marriage? I'm afraid she's just out of my league in that field" he said, waving his arms out in front of him and shaking his head. He loved her and cherished her but the gap between him and her was just too big. He may be a knight but before that, he was just a boy who lived on the streets while she was born into royalty with a long line of ancestors. Marriage between someone who was considered a peasant and a street rat and royalty just wouldn't look well in the eyes of the people.
Reia kept her cheeky look as her tone of voice started to match it. "I wouldn't be so sure about that. It seems to me that you two are quite perfect for each other. Who cares if you're out of her league? So long as the connection is there and you both truly love each other, any kind of obstacle can be overcomed" she said. His reactions made it easy for her to tease him.
Tsuki was used to having these kinds of conversations with the Royal Eight and he thought he could finally catch a break from them for a while. Things don't last long, however. "The power of love conquers all, is that what you're trying to say?" he asked with a sigh. He clapped his face with his hands and took a deep breath. This was a conversation he wanted to move on from. He loved her but as a knight and her bodyguard, there was a line he couldn't cross. She was his princess and, more importantly, his childhood friend. That's all that mattered to him. "Anyway, about this Moonlight Flower. What are we suppose to look for, exactly?" he asked. They were suppose to looking for a unique type of flower but he hadn't been told what to keep an eye out for. All he knows is that they bloom under the moonlight of a full moon.
Reia turned and faced down the path and started to continue walking along it. "It's a rather unique flower even when it's not in bloom. You can easily make it out by the silver buds. The bigger the buds are, the more potent they will be when they bloom. What we're looking for are those larger buds. We generally don't pick the smaller ones as they aren't done growing yet" she said. Because the method on picking these particular flowers is precise, only a few people who know botany and the biological make-up of Moonlight Flowers can pick them. Doing it wrong can result in loss of potency the flower has or outright making it wilt immediately. "Generally, I'm in charge of picking and harvesting them but there are a few others in the village who are just as capable as I am. Due to the sudden nature of this trip though, we will have to make do with just me. You'll be in charge of protecting me and the Flowers as I do so" she said.
Tsuki followed her along the path as she explained to him what kind of flower to look for. Her last statement though confused him. He could understand taking someone with you to watch your back especially in an area where you could be attacked at any time but the way that she said she was going to form a group back in the village led him to believe there was something more to it. "Something tells me that this isn't going to be a simple flower harvest. What makes this particular harvest so dangerous that you'd need a group of people with you?" he asked.
Reia move along the pathway as it started to go up at an incline with stone steps leading them upwards. "Moonlight Flowers in full bloom give off a radiant light. It's a beautiful sight that can only be seen under a full moon and since the place we're going to has them in abundance, it's quite magical. In fact, this place has the largest number of Moonlight Flowers in a single area. These flowers absorb the moonlight and then release it back out into the air in the form of visible Aer. As a result, it tends to attract a lot of monsters and some of them can be pretty aggressive." she said.
Mana is made up of condensed Aer, an invisible well of energy that can't normally be seen by the naked eye. Only in certain places where there's high concentrations of it can it be seen. These places were known as Wellsprings and there's a number of them throughout each continent. Visually, they look beautiful but looks can be deceiving. These high concentrations of uncondensed Aer can be highly toxic to humans if they stay in close contact with it, even if it's just a brief time of exposure. Coming into contact with these uncondensed Aer can cause irreparable damage to ones' own Mana. In most cases, it corrupts a persons' Mana, making it highly unstable with a high chance to fall into a state called Mana Overload. It is not a pleasant experience as it, quite literally, kills you from the inside out. It's an extremely painful and grueling thing to experience and traumatizing for anyone to witness. It's an experience that leads to painful, slow deaths and in pretty much every case of it, the victims were killed out of mercy so they wouldn't have to suffer. In the worst types of cases where exposure was lengthy, a person's Mana becomes a literal bomb which ends in an explosion of pure energy, leaving nothing left. People had to wear specially designed suits in order to investigate these Wellsprings or to even go through an area where a Wellspring was located because all that energy that's released from it affects not only the surroundings but the air itself. Exposure to these surroundings won't have an effect on humans but anywhere within the vicinity of a Wellspring can. Most people make the obvious choice and not get anywhere near one but the mysteries of Wellsprings attracts researchers from all over.
Tsuki grew a bit apprehensive when she had mentioned visible Aer. He's never seen a Wellspring himself but he's heard all the stories about them. As far as he knows, there wasn't a Wellspring located in Cayhill. While there were Wellsprings that are well-documented, new ones can spring up at any time. "The Aer, it's not dangerous for us, right?" he asked.
Reia shook her head, holding a finger up in the air as she motioned her arm back and forth. "Nope, it's perfectly safe for us. It may be visible Aer but it's not as uncondensed as a Wellspring is. Think about it like this: a Wellspring is like a torrential rainfall that saturates everything in a certain area while the Aer these flower release is like a very faint, harmless drizzle. It's not that strong but it still packs quite the punch in modern medicine" she said. Being someone who's proficient in the Magical Artes, she's spent quite a few years researching Aer. In her lifetime, she's come into contact with a Wellspring only once and it was quite the experience. Unfortunately, she's also seen what happens to those that are unprepared for it and it's a sight that can only be seen in nightmares. It sends a chill down her spine whenever she recalls it.
Tsuki was a little relieved to hear that the Aer released by the Flowers weren't dangerous to them. He didn't want to imagine the kind of suffering that would occur if it was. "About the Wellsprings, I'm a little curious about something. How many have been documented? How are they formed?" he asked. He wasn't one for the Magical side of things but he could stand to gain a lot by learning about things he didn't know. You never know what might happen in the future.
Reia soon came to another fork in the road with the path splitting up north and west. She continued going north up the incline as the slope started to get a bit more steep the further they went. "Based on what I've read up on, there have been four documented locations, each of them quite a fair distance apart from each other. One is located somewhere in the mountains of Nargelond, the second located in the deserts of Menorion, the third located in the swamps of Megrove and the fourth located on the remote island of Nula" she said. She then stopped and looked around a bit. She noticed a new, budding plant and approached it and getting down on one knee in front of it. "As for how they're formed, it's believed that a confluence of Aer is necessary" she said.
Tsuki walked up next to her, tilting his head. "A confluence?" he asked.
Reia looked up at him and nodded before looking back down at the budding plant. She reached out for it and gently grabbed onto it without hurting it. "A mass convergence. Aer lives in everyone and everything, as you know. It flows through the planet like a river of water. Flows that can't be tracked easily as they can be quite erratic and random. When multiple flows come together, it creates a turbulent and violent reaction that can pierce through the earth. These can happen anywhere and, in most cases, without warning. Do you know what I'm referring to?" she asked, standing back up. She then continued along the incline.
Tsuki continued to follow her as he listened to her explanation before directing it to him. He knew what she was referring to. It was one of the worst natural disasters this side of the world had seen in decades. "Of course. I learned about it when I was studying my history in knight school. You're talking about the Collapse of Nula, aren't you?" he asked.
Reia nodded, putting her arms behind her back and interlocked her fingers together. "Yes. As you know, the island of Nula used to thrive with life. It wasn't a very big place as it was only home to one major city but it was still a place that people traveled to frequently. Not only that but it had lots of historical and religious value for many. With potential expansion, it could have became a major landmark. Lush greenery, vibrant life and a serene, tranquil enviornment. It had everything you could possibly ask for. That is, until the Wellspring formed without warning" she said. She didn't see it herself as this disaster happened well over thirty years ago but she's heard all the stories and read all the books and research documents. It was an event that resonated with every kingdom.
The topic of Nula was very interesting to Tsuki. It really put things into perspective for him that despite all of the advancements this side of the world has made over the centuries, one natural disaster can destroy everything in an instant. "The Wellspring formed right in the heart of the city without warning and had an immediate effect on the people and its surroundings who were, obviously, unprepared for the event. It was, and still is, the biggest Wellspring to this day. In a matter of minutes, many people lost their lives with countless more following in the ensuing hours and days after it had happened. The land became tainted and uninhabitable in a matter of days and by the end of it, 75% of the population of Nula was wiped out. Survivors had to be put into intense rehabilitation and detoxing. An island with a population of roughly 1,500 became a desolate wasteland, population zero. All that's left is a rotting, decaying city frozen in time" he said. People from every kingdom talked about it. It changed, and ended, many lives in a span of a few days.
Reia was nodding her head quietly as he talked about Nula's unfortunate history. Nula, to this day, is still uninhabitable. Researchers flock there to study the Wellspring with many trying to figure out ways to revert it but no one has been able to discover if it was even possible to cap off a Wellspring. The city in which the Wellspring is located in has been almost untouched. Researchers say that you could still find personal belongings of those that lived there in the various buildings. It was a spooky and terrifying place that looked like something out of a horror story. Some researchers even claim that they've heard the screams of pain of those who lost their lives in the tragedy echoing throughout the empty streets and buildings. The claims have become so many in number that only the most hardcore, fearless researchers would dare venture to such a place now. While he's never personally seen what Nula currently looks like, he has seen pictures of the place that had been taken by researchers somewhat recently. Just looking at them gave him the creeps. It was the perfect definition of a ghost town.
Reia continued upwards along the pathway as faint sounds of the ocean can start to be heard through the trees. Even though Nula was practically a wasteland, the lure of attraction was pretty strong for her. "One of these days, I would like to research the Wellspring myself. To be able to find a way to close it off. There has to be a way, I just know it" she said.
The two of them soon fell silent as they were close to the hilltop they were trying to reach. After a few more minutes with a few more monster encounters, they finally arrived on the hilltop. It was a pretty wide open, semi-circle space. Flowers were spread out all around the grassy field with trees surrounding it. Among the flowers were the silver flower buds that they had been looking for. On the far end of it, you could see the vast, open sea with the edge blocked off with a fence as there was a sheer drop off the cliff that would land you on top of jagged rocks with powerful waves crashing against the side of it. The salty smell of the sea permeated in the air. The ocean was as dark blue as ever and went out for as far as the eye can see. There were a few benches among the flowers and against the fence.
Tsuki couldn't believe his eyes. The view was absolutely breathtaking. The view of the lake from the royal garden was nothing compared to this. "This place...this is...the only thing I can say is just...wow" he said. He was truly stunned and speechless. He could now see why people always talked about this spot. The flower petals blowing through the wind, the sounds of trees rustling accompanied by the sounds of the ocean and its smells and sight. If there was anything that he could describe as perfect, this would be it.
Reia sees this view a lot as she comes here quite often and she always finds it almost refreshing to see peoples' first reactions when they see it for themselves. It met her expectations to a tee. "What did I say? It's got a view like no other around" she said.
Tsuki walked around the open hilltop as he took in the view. As he did, he soon noticed that there was a small well off to the side with a cobblestone pathway leading through the trees. They were able to visibly make out what appeared to be a cottage of some kind at the end of it. "What's that cottage for?" he asked.
Reia walked up to the path and stood by it, holding her arm out towards it almost as of she was welcoming Tsuki to walk on through. "It belongs to the caretaker. There's someone that lives here that tends to the flowers and surrounding area. He's the one in charge of maintaining the pathways and ensuring the safety of them. The containers we need to carry the Flowers in are inside so let's go pay him a visit" she said.
They walked along the pathway and as they did, the plants that lined the pathway started to light up. The lights seemed to be used to light up the pathway with natural lighting when someone walks by them. The cottage wasn't that far into the trees but it was far enough to hide it from sight unless you were exploring. They soon approached the cottage and were able to get a better look at it. It wasn't a particularly big cottage but it looked nice. It was big enough for, at most, two people and had plants and herbs hanging on the side of it. Off to the side of the cottage was another well with a couple barrels next to it. Reia walked up to the door and knocked on it. After a few moments, she heard a voice call out from inside with footsteps following it. Soon, the door opened up and on the other side of it was a middle-aged man in overalls. He had short brown hair with a slight beard to go with it.
The man who answered the door saw that the person knocking on the other side of the door was Reia and let out a hearty laugh. "Ah, if it isn't Reia! Always a pleasure to see you here!" he said in a semi-deep voice.
Reia gave the man a big smile and tapped her hand against his stomach. "Hello there, Finn. You look like you've lost quite a bit of weight since the last time I saw you. I see that training regime of yours appears to be working" she said.
The man, apparently named Finn, rubbed his finger under his nose with a proud chuckle. "It wasn't easy at first but once I got the hang of it, it was actually pretty easy! I just made it out to be a lot more difficult than it really was" he said. He soon cleared his throat and noticed that Tsuki was standing behind her and immediately recognized his armor. "I'm sure you didn't come to check in on my about my weight though. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit today? Must be pretty important if you brought a royal knight with you" he said.
Reia nodded. She then held her hand out towards Finn as she looked over towards Tsuki. "Tsuki, meet the caretaker. This is Finn Arda. Finn, meet Tsuki Himura, member of the Royal Eight" she said. She looked back over at Finn, folding her arms in front of her. "We came here to harvest Moonlight Flowers. Our stock ran dry and we need more. One of my villagers contracted the Virus" she said. She wanted to cut straight to the chase.
Finn stroked his beard a bit as she told him their reason for visiting. If people weren't here to harvest flowers, they were here to take in the view. This may be a beautiful location to visit but it doesn't receive many visitors often. "The Virus, huh? Wait...I thought you had plenty in stock. What happened to it all? Don't tell me there was a sudden spread of it" he said. He would provide Flowers to Crescentia periodically whenever there was enough to provide. A full stock would usually last for at least three months. From what he could recall, it's only been almost two months since he last provided to the village.
Reia shook her head. Since she never got a chance to look at the containers that contained their stock of Flowers, she couldn't determine what happened. "Apparently, there was something wrong with the containers. Dr. Calus informed me earlier that they had all wilted" she said.
Finn thought it was off that they had wilted. He always makes sure that his containers are in perfect shape before having them picked up. "Hmm...maybe something happened to them during transit. There shouldn't have been anything wrong with them because I checked all of them" he said. He sighed, scratching the back of his head. Accidents do intend to happen so hopefully that was the case. He didn't want to think that there was any foul play involved. "Well, you're just in luck. While I don't have nearly enough supply ready to provide a full shipment, there are a few Flowers ready for harvest when nightfall arrives. You still have a few hours to wait so why don't you two come on inside and relax? I'll get some tea and snacks made for you in the meantime and get the containers ready for transit" he said. He stepped off to the side, letting them enter his cottage.
Not having any other option but to wait, Reia and Tsuki stepped into the cottage to rest up and catch a break. It had already been a little over two hours since they had left Crescentia. Since it was somewhat late in the afternoon when the prisoner transfer happened, it was roughly around the time where the sun was getting ready to go down. They had to wait another two hours before nightfall came. They were concerned about how Lynette was holding up but without the Flowers in full bloom, their hands were tied. As they waited, that talked amongst themselves. Tsuki had been curious about Finns' duties and the history of the hilltop so they talked about that for a while. When the discussions started to come to an end, Reia and Tsuki took whatever time they had left for some brief shut eye and rest. The trek wasn't terribly long and arduous to get there but they would have to make the trek back in the dead of night. Certain monsters tend to come out at night and these monsters can be more aggressive than normal daytime monsters so they were going to need as much rest as they can. No one really likes to travel at night out in the wilderness. Usually, adventurers and traveling merchants pitch out one of their Camping Sets and settle in until the morning hours. They couldn't afford to wait until morning so they wanted to get the Flowers and leave right away.
After two hours had passed, the sun had gone down and nightfall arrived as the sky was illuminated by a big full moon. Due to the supply of Flowers not being fully ready yet, they were only going to be able to harvest about six of them which was more than enough. They inspected each container carefullly to make sure there was nothing wrong with them and concluded that they were all in perfect condition. With the containers in hand, the three of them left the cottage and headed down the cobblestone path as the nearby plants lit it up with a dim light. When they got back to the open space of the hilltop, they were greeted by a truly magical sight. It was a sight that Finn and Reia had seen before but with this being Tsukis' first time seeing it, he was awestruck. The silver flower buds had come into full bloom, releasing a steady stream of numerous small balls of light into the air. They could all feel the Aer. It wasn't life-threatening but it did have a harmless zing to it. It was hard to describe the feeling.
When Tsuki had said that this was going to be his first time seeing the Flowers in bloom, Finn couldn't help but crack a smile as he walked toward the flowers with three of the containers. "Amazing, isn't it? This is why I live out here. Seeing this really puts you at ease. Even the local monsters come here to indulge themselves" he said. He then pointed over to the treeline that led down the hill back into the forest where they could see a number of small animals coming out of the trees and into the small field of flowers. Even monsters that tend to attack people have come out only they weren't being aggressive.
Tsuki saw the monsters come out, particularly some of the ones that they had to fight to get here and got in a defensive stance. He quickly noticed, however, that those same monsters that attacked them without warning were almost docile. There was no hint of aggression comign from them at all as they walked around them and gathered around the Flowers. "Wait, you mentioned that when monsters are attracted to the Flowers, some of them can be aggressive. Yet, I'm not sensing any hostility in the air" he said.
Reia stepped forward with the remaining three containers and looked back at Tsuki for a moment. "What I said still rings true. The monsters you see right now that we've fought so far aren't the aggressive ones I was referring to. The monsters that I'm referring to are suppose to be in hibernation around this time and are normally pretty harmless unless they feel threatened. However, there have been sightings of one of these monsters in the recent weeks that attacks anything indiscriminately" she said. As she approached the field of flowers, she heard rustling in the trees and with galloping feet.
They all looked in the direction of the sounds and moments later, a quadrupedal monster came out through the brush and stopped in front of the path leading down the hill. It looked like a rather large deer with a horn extending out from the top of its head. It had a pale yellow skintone with an even brighter shade of yellow fur that ran along its back down to its tail. It was saw Tsuki, Reia and Rinn and started to thrash around as if it was about to charge at them. It looked to be quite aggressive.
Tsuki got into another defensive stance, drawing his sword and held it ready. He recognized the monster right away and something immediately felt off to him. "Wait...is that a Rhybgaro? This is your hostile monster?" he asked.
Reia nodded, looking over to it. "Yes. Surprising, isn't it? Rhybgaro aren't known for attacking anyone unless they felt threatened and yet this one attacks without provocation. We've been trying to figure out why it's acting like this but we haven't had much luck in terms of research" she said. She then started to closely examine it as this was the first time she has been able to catch sight of it herself. She's heard all about it through other people so she had been going off of what she had been told.
Finn nodded, looking a little troubled by its sudden appearance. "It's been causing quite a bit of trouble around the Hills. I've been trying to capture it myself but all my attempts have failed. I'm not a fighter but I do know how to lay down traps but it seems to sense one nearby and avoids it everytime" he said. He didn't want to try and hurt it. They were pretty harmless and he wanted to know what was going on. Monsters don't usually have drastic shifts in behavior like this for no reason.
Reia looked over at Tsuki after she had examined the Rhybgaro from a distance. Physically, there appeared to be nothing wrong with it. However, she did sense something was wrong with its Aer. "I may have figured it out. It's Aer...I'm not sure how to put it but it's unbalanced. I sense a strange...darkness within it that's causing its fluctuation. If you can subdue that darkness somehow, it should go back to normal. I trust you can handle this on your own?" she asked. She and Finn would be preoccupied with the harvest as there was a careful and precise method to harvest the Flowers. One can't simply pick the flowers like you normally would. As such, she wouldn't be able to provide him with any assistance in battle.
Tsuki glanced over at Reia and nodded at her. Rhybgaro aren't exactly the toughest of monsters around, probably a little stronger than what they've already fought but it shouldn't be anything he can't handle. Though the mention of some strange darkness was a little worrying. "I'm not sure what I can do but I'll try my best. You two just focus on those Flowers"he said. He then readied himself for combat as he and the Rhybgaro almost seemed to stare down at each other.
The fight between them soon began as Tsuki did his best to keep the Rhybgaro's attention on him, luring him as far away from the field of flowers as he could but within the semi-circle so he wouldn't have to worry about limiting his space to fight. As they fought, Reia and Finn got to work on harvesting the Flowers. The monsters that were nearby had long since scattered as the aggression that the Rhybgaro was giving off scared them all off. Tsuki didn't want to kill or hurt the Rhybgaro too much so he had to go a little easy on it. All he was trying to do was learn its behavior and attack pattern and figure out a way to expel the strange darkness that Reia had mentioned. The Rhybgaro was charging at him, bucking at him and pranced all around him. Not being able to fight at his fullest was making it harder for him to fight. After being on the defensive for a few minutes, they both stood a ways apart and appeared to be at another stand-off with each other.
Tsuki was slightly out of breath as he tried to assess his options. There was definitely something going on here. He knows that Rhybgaro shouldn't be this strong. There was something unnatural about all of this and it seems that whatever this darkness was had made it stronger. The more the two fought, the stronger it seemed to get, as a matter of fact. Which can only mean that this could get potentially dangerous the longer the fight goes on. "I can't be on the defensive forever. I need options" he said. While he still had plenty of energy left to fight, he had already received several cuts and scratches as he was bleeding a bit from his left cheek and right arm from its horn grazing up against him. "How am I suppose to subdue something I can't see?" he asked himself.
As he thought of his options, he felt a strange feeling come over him. He couldn't explain it but whatever it was, it felt like it trying to tell him something. He felt his gaze shift to the thick fur on the back of its neck. After a close look at it, he could see something stuck within its fur. It had what appeared to be a purple color to it. Whatever was in its fur, something told him that it was the cause of the Rhybgaro's behavior. Chalking it up to his gut instincts, he decided to listen to it. Soon after, the Rhybgaro bucked, letting out a cry and then charged at him, sticking its horn out at him. Tsuki stood his ground as it came at him as it got close to him, he did something that was quite reckless. He sheathed his sword, charged at it himself and leapt up into the air. As the Rhybgaro ran under him as he jumped, Tsuki spun himself around and landed on its back, grabbing a hold of its mane. The Rhybgaro stopped and bucked wildly to shake him off but Tsuki remained on as he reached through its fur on the back of its neck. He soon felt his hand grab onto something hard and tried to pull it out but realized it was tangled by the fur. Using one hand to hold onto its mane as it bucked, he drew his sword and gently held it by the blade as he worked it through its fur and was able to cut through the fur that had entangled the object. Moments later, the strange purple object rolled out from its fur and fell to the ground. It had a faint, pulsating glow to it that eventually became dim until the glow came to a stop. As it did, the Rhybgaro seemingly started to settle down. Seeing it start to settle, Tsuki sheathed his sword and gently ran his hands through its mane with small pats to help it calm down more. After doing that and whispering to it for another minute or two, the Rhybgaro completely settled down and came down to the ground, almost collapsing from sheer exhaustion. He could feel its heavy breathing and its rapid heartbeat. They may have been fighting each other for the last few minutes but this level of exhaustion was like it had just ran on for miles without stopping at full sprint. It was completely drained of its energy and didn't have enough to keep standing anymore.
Tsuki got off its back, walked over in front of it and knelt down so that he was eye level with it. The two looked at each other in the eyes as Tsuki continued to give the Rhybgaro gentle, soothing pats as he ran his hand across its head and horn. "There we go. Just take it nice and easy. You're going to be alright" he said.
It wasn't long until Reia and Finn soon approached him. The six containers had a couple decent and large sized Moonlight Flowers inside them as they were still giving off that same light within the container. Reia walked up to him and was completely shocked by his display he put on. She was focused on harvesting the flowers but she had glanced back at them fighting to make sure everything was okay. She couldn't believe what she just saw. "That was quite impressive but it was also reckless, you know. It had me worried there for a minute. What did you do?" she asked. She didn't see the purple object fall from its fur. All she saw was Tsuki jumping on its back, reaching through its fur with a sword for a few moments and then the Rhybgaro started to settle down.
Tsuki scratched the back of his head as he looked up at her, still kneeling down in front of the Rhybgaro and patting it. "I'm not sure. I was trying to figure out what my options were when something inside me seemed to tell me to look at the back of its neck. I noticed something through its fur and somehow I just knew that whatever was inside of it was the cause so I removed it" he said. He couldn't explain it himself nor could he ever. This wasn't the first time something like this had happened. Over the years, during certain events, he always had a very strong feeling for something. These feeliings are a lot more prevalent during times of crisis. He's always ended up calling it a gut instinct but he knew that wasn't it. There was something to these feelings. There was power to them but it wasn't just that. It's like the feelings had some sort of will or mind of their own that reach out to him during these times.
Tsuki soon stood up and walked over to where the purple object had fallen to the ground. Upon a closer examination of it, it was shaped like a crystal with a purple hue to it. There was something very off about it, however. Upon picking it up for himself, he could feel that there was something within it. A dark power that didn't feel in any way natural. Reia walked up to him where he had handed it to her. Not being very well attuned to the Magical Artes, he figured that she would be able to get a better read on it than him.
Reia placed the containers carrying the Flowers down on the ground and took the crystal in her hand and examined it for a moment. Then, she channeled some of her Mana through it as it soon started to hover slightly over her hand. The crystal started to soon emit that same pulsating purple light. What she was doing was appraising the energy inside of the crystal. People who are well attuned in the Magical side of things have the ability to appraise people and objects to get a read on the Aer inside of them. This was a process that helps people figure out where their strong and weak points are. It also helps in the medical side of things if something was wrong with a persons' Aer. As Reia tried to appraise the crystal, however, she appeared to be struggling quite a bit. She's done this many times before so she knows the process but there was something about this particular crystal that made her struggle. After a few minutes, the crystal seemed to start vibrating as it gave off a slightly high-pitched whining sound.
Tsuki wasn't sure what was going on but whatever was happening with the crystal definitely didn't sound good. He started to feel himself on edge a bit. "Uhh Reia? What's going on?" he asked. He's seen people appraise objects like this before and this was a reaction he's never seen before.
Reia struggled to keep the crystals' energy under control but was starting to lose grip of it. "I...I don't know. The Aer inside this crystal...I can't explain it. It's almost as if-" she said. Just then, the whining sound seemingly reached its peak as a small shockwave of dark power shot out from the crystal. The vibrations of it had gotten much stronger. "Shit, it's going into overload!" she said. She then quickly grabbed the crystal and rushed over to the fence and chucked it as hard as she could over the edge, sending the crystal flying out over the ocean as it fell to the water. However, before it even got close to the water, the crystal exploded in a blast of pure dark energy. The explosions rocked the nearby area a bit, sending birds flying away.
Finn was already shaken by the appearance of the Rhybgaro so when the crystal had started to act up, it only made him more nervous. When the explosion happened, it sent him falling off his feet. He had to take a few minutes to calm himself down before he was able to stand back up. "What in the world was that?" he asked.
Reia shook her head. She was at a loss for words. She wasn't even sure where to begin explaining what she saw within the crystal. "I don't know. It was nothing I've ever seen before. The Aer inside of that crystal...it felt evil. Unnatural and Twisted...and most of all, alive" she said. Whatever this was, it definitely shook her up to where she could be visibly seen shaking slightly.
Tsuki walked up to her and put his hand on her shoulder. He could feel her body tremble a bit so he knows that she wasn't exaggerating. "You going to be okay? No adverse effects or anything?" he asked.
Reia took several deep beaths before she could calm herself down. She looked back at Tsuki and nodded. "I'll be fine. The Aer flow had been cut before any adverse effects could happen. I'm not sure where that crystal came from but let's hope there aren't anymore like it" she said. She soon turned around and walked back to where she had placed the containers and picked them up once more. "We got what we came here for so we should be making our way back. We can't keep the doctor waiting" she said.
Tsuki walked back over to the Rhybgaro that was lying down on the ground. "What should we do about him?" he asked. He ran his hand against the Rhybgaro's horn once more as he seemed to let out a satisfying groan.
Reia thought about it for a moment. They could always just leave it to its own devices and it will recover in time. However, she can't say for sure that all of the negative effects that the crystal seemed to have on him were gone. "Why don't we take him back to the village with us? I know someone who's an expert on monster behavior and has even rehabilitated some of the more harmless ones to release back into the wild" she said.
Tsuki tilted her head at her. Sure, the Rhybgaro were pretty harmless but to bring one that attacked them to the village where others could potentially get hurt didn't seem like a good idea to him. "You sure that's wise to do?" he asked.
Reia nodded, tapping her own chest with her hand. "I don't see why not. Besides, they're suppose to be in hibernation, remember? By the looks of it, he's still pretty young so he has nowhere to go, after all" she said. She would assume responsibility if something were to happen.
Finn shrugged, handing Tsuki the rest of the containers for him to carry. "Whatever you decide to do, he can't stay here. You'd be doing me a favor" he said. He then turned around and faced in the direction of the cottage. "You better hurry along now. That girl isn't going to get any better with you two just standing around here" he said.
Reia looked at Finn and nodded, giving him a slightl bow. "We appreciate your help as always. Next time I come by, I'll bring some of my tea and muffins" she said.
Finn gave her a thumbs up with a big grin on his face. "Looking forward to it. Be careful on your way back" he said. He then started to walk towards the cobblestone pathway and up towards the cottage.
They waved goodbye at him and then gave each other a nod. Tsuki helped the Rhybgaro up on its feet slowly. Thankfully, it seemed to understand what their intentions were and decided to cooperate with them. With the containers in hand and the Rhybgaro following them at their side, they started to make their descent down the hill. That pathways were dimly lit by plants that gave off natural lighting from the sunlight they absorbed which made walking easier but it was still pretty dark so they had to be careful as they went down. As they descended from the hill, they fought off various new types of monsters that came out with nightfall such as bats and night wolves. They were more aggressive than the daytime enemies but none of them gave them any issue. It took them about 45 minutes to reach the bottom of the hill and another 15 to arrive back at the entrance to Celestial Hills.
Once they were out of the Hills, they made their way across the now darkened Great Plains. Since it was out in the wilds, there was no source of light other than the moonlight shining down on them. It made things more dangerous because of whatever could be lurking out in the fields under the cover of darkness. They had to take a couple breaks as they made their way across the plains because of the Rhybgaro who was getting more exhausted the longer they walked. Tsuki and Reia had to continue gently pushing it along since they couldn't afford to waste any time. After what seemed like forever, they finally returned to the village a little over two hours later. Waiting at the gate were two of the town watch and Dr. Calus. When the town watch saw the Rhybgaro, they immediately drew their weapons and got in a defensive stance.
Noticing that the town watchmen had their weapons drawn and ready to strike, Reia had to rush ahead and wave them off. "Whoa, easy there! We come in peace!" she shouted.
Elune, who was pacing back and forth at the front gates saw that Reia had finally returned. She was a little late to arrive and when he saw the Rhybgaro, he knew why. "Well, it seems quite a bit has happened while you were out. It's odd that there's a Rhybgaro walking around at this time of the year" he said.
Reia nodded, giving the Rhybgaro a pat on its side. "We were surprised too. As it turns out, this little guy was responsible for the mayhem at Celestial Hills. Tsuki managed to quell it though. It appeared to be having a negative reaction to some kind of crystal that was affecting its Aer" she said. Thinking about the crystal and what she saw still gave her chills.
Elune held his hand up to his chin. "A crystal that affects the Aer of a living being? I know that Wellsprings tend to have that effect but I don't think I've ever heard of a small object having that same effect too..." he said. While this was intriguing for him, this wasn't the time to think about it. He would have plenty of time to do that later. He shook his head and looked towards the six containers they were carrying. "Regardless, I trust you were able to obtain some Flowers" he said.
Tsuki nodded, walked up to him and handed him the three that he was carrying. "Sure did. How's Lyn holding up?" he asked. Several hours had passed since they left the village where anything could of happened so he was worried about her.
Elune took the containers and gave him a thumbs up with nod. "She's been holding up surprisingly well. She was experiencing extreme discomfort and some pain earlier but now it appears that she's sleeping soundly. She'll be alright once I get these Flowers to her" he said. Due to the ravages of the Virus and how fast acting and strong it can be, it surprised him that she hasn't been really feeling much of its normal effects aside discomfort and pain which is a pretty common symptom.
Reia was able to breathe a sigh of relief at the good news. She wouldn't know what to do if she had lost Lynette. She then approached Elune and handed him the rest of the containers. "Well then, quit standing around here. Take these and give her that medicine. I'll go take this Rhybgaro to my friend. Tsuki, why don't you go with the doctor? I'm sure she would be thrilled if she saw a friendly face when she regains consciousness. Lend the doctor whatever aid you can" she said. She then reached out to the Rhybgaro and gently guided it along through the village. There weren't that many people out and about so she could avoid causing any kind of fuss.
Elune took the containers and watched Reia as she guided the monster towards the western side of the village. "I'll have to reach out to her tomorrow so she can tell me more of what happened. Still, to capture a Rhybgaro and bring it back to the village...you guys sure are something else" he said. She scratched the back of his head and then turned around. "Well, let's go" he said.
Tsuki and Elune set out from the gates toward the inn with the containers in hand. So much has happened in less than 12 hours that Tsuki had almost forgotten his mission. The discovery of that strange crystal and Reias' reaction to it definitely gave him cause for concern. As they headed back to the inn, Tsuki thought about the crystal. He had seen nothing like it before anywhere in Cayhill. You couldn't even find that kind of thing in mines of Briswater, a river city further to the northeast and something like that definitely wouldn't have came from the Southern Regions. The only other explanation he could think of was what the commander in Basilwell reported. The discovery of cargo from an unknown origin. While he didn't specifically state what the cargo was, there was definite concern in his report. It made him think of the crystal he found was linked to the cargo that he had mentioned. He could feel what was inside of that crystal and Reia all but confirmed what his feeliings were about. It really makes him uneasy.
After a couple of minutes, they arrived back at the clinic and went inside. They put a sign out in front of the door, telling people to not disturb them. While they were gone, Elune had gathered all the ingredients and materials he was going to need to make the medicine. Having everything they now needed, Elune began preparing the medicine immediately. Tsuki assisted him in any way he could although he couldn't do a whole lot as he wasn't knowledgable about medicine-making. After about 40 minutes, Elune had finished mixing the ingredients and materials together. The final touch was to add the essence gathered inside of a Moonlight Flower. He carefully removed one from its container and set it down next to the batch of medicine. He then held his hand out and closed his eyes to concentrate. After several moments of silence, the balls of light that had been releasing from the Flower started to gather and form into a single, gel-sized ball. Once he had extracted a sufficient amount, he guided the ball of energy to the medicine and sent it into it, causing it to start glowing. He put the Flower back in its container and began mixing the medicine with a special tool. After doing this for a minute, he breathed a sigh of relief as he had finished the medicine. The liquid-based medicine had the scent of vanilla with a faint glow to it. He was able to make a whole jar of it for future use as application of the medicine is only a small dose of it.
Elune reached into one of his cabinets, took out a small, ceramic medicinal bowl and poured some of it inside of it and then took it over to Lynette, who was sleeping in one of the beds. She was sweating a bit and showing signs of discomfort again as they could hear her ragged breathing. With Tsukis' help, he held her head up so that the doctor could get the medicine into her mouth for her to swallow. After making sure she drank all of it, Tsuki set her back down gently. After a few tense minutes of silence, they both noticed an immediate effect. Her breathing slowly started to go back to normal and the discomfort seemed to go away. It would still take a few hours for the medicine to take full effect, however. Having no other choice, they had to wait and see the results but they were confident that she would be okay. Seeing as Lynette should be fine, the doctor allowed Tsuki to make use of one of the beds. His house is right next to the clinic so he would be able to come over at a moments' notice if anything went on. Elune soon decided to call it a night after doing a few last minute check-ups on her and Tsuki decided to get some sleep in one of the beds next to the one where she was sleeping in. Tsuki wouldn't find sleep though as he wanted to keep an eye on her as she seemed to be recovering. He would just lay in the bed, staring up at the dark ceiling for the remainder of the night.
To be continued...