[Yvlena Acquired

  Exp:1900/3500

  ***

  Great Wolf Pelt x1

  Wolf pelt x4

  Lupus Petal x3

  Wolf Claw x6

  ***

  Moon Points x800]

  “That’s taken care of.” Yvlena said, turning around she saw Risel stuffing her short staff into her pack, Yvlena looked at the polished, wooden short staff topped with an ornament resembling a globe. The item disappeared into the pack before she could find out what the material was.

  One thing was for sure, that wasn’t a mage’s staff.

  “What an encounter, I hope we don’t see any more wolves for a while.” Risel said, folding her arms. The elf seemed particularly disturbed by them, prompting Yvlena to ask why.

  “When we were traveling we ran into a lot of them.” Risel said, falling into step with Yvlena once more as they trekked the grass plains of the outskirts. “Freude and mom fought them off and I was the one to make health potions when they would get hurt.”

  “It’s a good thing you became an alchemist then, your skills help a lot of people. Me included.” Yvlena said.

  Risel laughed. Looking at the blossom haired elf beside her, Risel realized she reminded her a lot of her brother. It had been a shock when Yvlena had known the lullaby her mother used to sing during those cold nights on the road, far from Alfinheim.

  “You remind me of Freude.” Risel said finally.

  Yvlena paused, tilting her head inquisitively. She smiled, taking the words as the highest compliment. Of course she would love to remind Risel of her dear brother, just as Beatrice reminded her of her grandmother.

  “I’m honored you think that.” Yvlena said, throwing her arm around Risel who laughed gleefully at the expression of affection.

  “Is that the town?” Sprite asked, fluttering her wings and resting on Yvlena’s shoulder while she pointed a tiny hand up ahead.

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  Risel and Yvlena looked ahead to find a large area resting under a blackening tree. The roofs clustered together and spread outwards in a circular pattern away from the giant tree.

  “That must be it, but oh… poor tree.” Risel said, clasping her hands over her mouth. It hurt her to see something so ancient and sacred withering away.

  “Cedar mentioned there was a river nearby that fed polluted water to the tree. I think I’ll have to brew the same Purifying Elixir I used on the Verdant Lake.”

  “You’re not alone, Yvlena, we can do it together.” Risel said with a determined expression on her face. She moved her gaze from Yvlena to the path and noticed its slightly lighter shade. This must have been a road once upon a time but now it was only a reminder of the town’s fall.

  Yvlena was gazing up at the tall tree, its branches spread out in a large canopy that covered the town, she wondered what it would have looked like in it’s prime as she gazed as the naked branches, some stained with the dark liquid that she had come to know as Miasmic sap.

  “Let’s keep going.” Yvlena said, taking Risel’s hand and pulling her towards the road that led to the town.

  They passed a weather beaten sign and could just about make out the words ‘Verdant Va—’ written there. The girls exchanged a glance and nodded to each other and proceeded down the crooked road made of once clean stone.

  The girls and summons walked past decaying, petrified foliage and straight towards the town gate which was left hanging open. The broken down gate was structured the same way Bloom Haven’s was but now one side of it lay collapsed and the other, barely standing.

  There were no town guards to greet them or inquire why they were there, only the continuing path towards the town.

  Risel gasped at the sight of it, this town was where she had spent some of her childhood, she remembered the gate she would come and go from as she went herb gathering. The sight of the broken gate was enough to make her knees weak at the thought of the harm that had befallen the town.

  Yvlena heard her mutter something like a prayer to the twin gods before stepping forward without waiting for Yvlena to follow her.

  “Here we go.” Sprite muttered from her place on Yvlena’s shoulder as the party followed behind the distraught elf.

  “I can’t imagine losing my whole town.” Yvlena said. She looked at Rabbit Knight who kept his stoic expression and wondered if he felt a kindred relationship with Risel. Rabbit Knight had lost his kingdom after all, a whole civilization gone to ruin.

  “It looked like something wreaked havoc on the town.” Sprite said to Yvlena who was looking around, she made sure to keep her eyes on Risel who was looking through the abandoned building that made up the entrance of the town.

  “What the hell happened?” Yvlena murmured, she kept her eye on Risel who was now standing in a daze as she took in the sight of collapsed buildings and debris lining the streets. The eerie silence that followed was almost worse than seeing a town plagued with monsters.

  Yvlena remembered how she felt upon reaching the Bloom Haven outskirts and finding it absent of all people save for a few birds and forest creatures, this however, was worse.

  It was as if the Verdant Vale had no life dwelling within its walls but that couldn’t be. Cedar said people had gotten sick, so they must have just been in their homes, hiding or recovering. If you asked Yvlena though, she could not vouch for the truth of that statement.

  Yvlena stood by Risel’s side, patiently waiting for the blonde to say something, but Risel remained as quiet as the town, staring into space. Kuti shared Yvlena’s concern, tugging on Risel’s sleeve so the elf would do or say something that told them she was in the right state of mind.

  “Risel.” Yvlena said softly, Risel blinked, registering enough of Yvlena’s voice to turn and face the inquiring elf.

  “We’ll find someone.” Yvlena said, softening her gaze as Risel’s eyes grew glass with tears. Already the beginnings of a devastating cry were forming at the corner of Risel’s green eyes, but she held it in. Sniffling lightly.

  Risel nodded, throwing her arms around Yvlena for a boost of morale. The girl didn’t object, letting Risel hold her for as long as she needed to.

  Sprite and Rabbit Knight glanced at their summoner and her friend with something akin to worry, Yvlena could only toss them a nod, letting them know she was alright which relaxed them.

  “I’m okay, I guess it was really just a shock.” Risel said, lowering her gaze.

  “I understand.” Yvlena began, however before she could complete her sentence something moved from the corner behind them. Risel snapped to attention running off in the direction the sound came from.

  “Risel!”

  “There’s someone there, they may need our help.” Risel said running off in a burst that reminded Yvlena too much of Dylan.

  The blonde elf rounded the corner and skidded to a halt at the sight of the figure shambling along the path. It was a tall man with clothes and hair stained black from the dripping Verdant Tree.

  Risel, undeterred by the sight of him, reached out her hand to assist him. The man lifted his head to look at her, once he had registered her within his sight, his docile expression grew heated and Risel saw madness overtake him.

  “Risel, get away! He’s been taken over!” Yvlena shouted.

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