One thing was for certain, Yvlena couldn’t leave the Verdant Vale Outskirts without taking on the creature patrolling the outside perimeter, she had two options, either she defeated the figure in the rusted armor or she went further and followed the path to the Verdant Vale.

  “Risel it’s up to you, with what you’ve heard do you still want to head to the Verdant Vale to look for Freude?” Yvlena asked softly. She didn’t want to leave the quest unfinished either and she needed to see what shape the town was in.

  What did this version of the Miasmic sickness look like and would it be possible to use the Everbloom to develop a remedy to soothe the people, or even a cure?

  Was the game training her all this time so she could start helping the people outside of Bloom Haven? For that, she needed to be more than a fledgling Harvest Guardian.

  “We came to find Freude, we should at least make it to the town.” Risel said, though Yvlena noticed a hint of hesitation in her tone, it was looking more dangerous for Risel but the girl was determined to see her brother no matter what.

  He was the only member of her family after all.

  “I could try to advise you but I sense it would be useless, so I can only hope we’ll meet again.” Cedar said with a deep sigh.

  “We certainly will.” Yvlena said flashing him a bright smile.

  ----------

  The two elves left the dilapidated building behind and continued on the path towards the town in the horizon, it wouldn’t be a long before the would reach the Verdant Vale.

  Yvlena called out her summons, now full of energy from resting a bit as she talked to Cedar and recovered her own strength with a HP potion.

  “What do you think the town is going to look like?” Yvlena asked Risel who was walking beside her with a thoughtful look on her face.

  “Honesty I don’t know what I’m expecting with everything Cedar said.” Risel replied facing Yvlena with a concerned expression. “Both of us have some skill with alchemy so maybe we’ll be able to help the people there if they aren’t too far gone.”

  “I’m worried about the Miasmic sickness, I’ve only met one other person with it and that’s Bavga.” Yvlena unable to recall if she had told Risel about the hag that dwelt in the Avaresh Swamp. The thought of the place made her sigh.

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  How simple times used to be. She would never forgive Crocante for what he did to her sword, corrupted or not!

  “I remember, it seemed so long ago that I saw the first Miasmic barrier disappear from the path to the Verdant Woods.” Risel said. “Were you able to help her?”

  “I made her some Swamp Balm that seemed effective but I haven’t been back to the swamps to check. Now that I think about it, I’ve been so busy.” Yvlena said.

  “I noticed.” Risel said quietly. “Thank you for helping me, of a million other things you could be doing…”

  Yvlena held a hand up to silence the girl, she shook her head.

  “Of course I would help. Even if I wasn’t the Harvest Guardian I probably would have still found a way.” Yvlena said smiling brightly. Risel was one of her favorite NPCs in Bloom Haven, there wasn’t anything that would stop her from doing Risel’s quest.

  [Affinity with Risel increased +10]

  A blush grew on Risel’s face at the sight of Yvlena’s smile, she laughed, covering her face with her hands.

  “Yvlena!” Risel whined, causing Yvlena to break into a fit of laughter herself. The two elves were interrupted by the sound of a low growling ahead of them. The girls and summons sobered up, searching for the source of the sound.

  It would be foolish to be caught unawares now.

  The growling grew louder, drawing Yvlena’s attention to the large black and gray wolf that stood barring it’s teeth at them.

  ‘Just how many types of wolves are there in this game?’ Yvlena thought, brandishing her sickle, luckily it didn’t look too strong and she was confident she would be able to deal with it.

  As she ran forward, the wolf gave a start. Lifting it’s head to howl into the sky, stopping Yvlena in her tracks.

  [Great Wolf Has called his pack]

  From the shadows of the several wolves emerged, summoned by the call of the single wolf beside her. Yvlena paused to examine each of the four wolves that appeared. They were all the regular weak wolves she had fought before but fighting this man on her own would be tough.

  The elf backed up, mind working through a list of ideas in her head on how she would defeat five wolves and if the Great Wolf would simply call more if she defeated it’s allies.

  [Yvlena cast Harvest Skill: Wide Sweep]

  The arc met the wolves where they stood, sweeping across them like they were dry grass on the manor grounds. The pack staggered and two broke from the group to lunge at her.

  Rabbit Knight leap into the fray, slashing one of the two wolves with his rapier, Sprite flew to assist while Yvlena ran toward the wolf that headed straight for Risel and Kuti.

  “Oh my goddess!” Risel yelped trying to fish something out of her bag, she pulled out a short staff and before the wolf to clamp it’s jaws into her arm Risel smashed the side of the staff into it’s snout. The wolf skidded away from her allowing Yvlena to end it with a slash of her own.

  [Yvlena Cast Crescent Slash (15MP)]

  The wolf gave a final whine and vanished into flakes of light.

  “Risel are you alright?” Yvlena asked, running towards the Great wolf still being guarded by the two other wolves at it’s side.

  “Kuti and I are fine Yvlena!” Risel called, the doll nodded, from her spot in Risel’s pack.

  [Kuti Cast Paralyze (05MP)]

  [Great Wolf is paralyzed and may be unable to move]

  “I hope not.” Yvlena said, to her left Sprite and Rabbit Knight had already defeated the second wolf that had broken from the pack.

  “Sprite, Rabbit Knight cover me, we have to take out the big guy.” Yvlena said. From behind her Risel tossed a bottle, it crashed into the ground beneath the wolves and Yvlena recognized the familiar potion.

  Entanglia.

  “Nice one!” the best thing about having Risel in the party was Yvlena didn’t have to use her own potions, and Risel’s lasted much longer.

  [Yvlena Cast Crescent Slash (15MP)]

  The Great Wolf growled and made to howl, but it soon found it couldn’t move. Yvlena smirked, pride at her summons skills swelled within her as she slashed at the Great Wolf’s side as it was unable to move.

  The wolf beside her tried to launch it’s on attack but was stopped by a well placed Stun from Sprite, then a quick jab from Rabbit Knight’s rapier cut it’s existence short.

  The last supporting wolf circled around snapping it’s jaws in defense, Risel’s vial clanked against it’s head, setting it on fire with an explosive potion.

  Yvlena, Rabbit Knight and Sprite teamed up to deliver their final combo against the Great wolf.

  [Battle Skill Unlocked: Crescent Fairy Rabbit Combo]

  The Great Wolf gave a loud, mournful howl and fell dead, bursting into flakes of light and leaving Yvlena’s party the victor of the battle.

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