Author's note: An extra long chapter this time to make up for the lack of an update during the holidays. Enjoy!
Alanna had a day to rest up and prepare. Sorcerers would use this time to rest and replenish their mana, Druids would commune with nature and prepare their spells for the day, and Fighters would maintain their gear and exercise to keep their body in shape and their reflexes sharp.
Alanna instead brewed up a few concoctions from Solizzar's handbook. She had taken as much of his lab equipment as she could reasonably carry, so as long as she had a fire she could create whatever she needed. Her room at the Adventurer's Guild came with a small fireplace that she managed to get just hot enough for some alchemy. She had a small box seeded with Glowcaps in her backpack as well. Glowcaps didn't need much other than shade and moisture to grow, so while there weren't quite that many in there, she'd be able to make about one extract a week if she got the right ingredients. Luckily she had a few vials of Glowcap sap that she extracted before she left, so she wouldn't have to tap into her colony just yet.
Obviously she prepared three regeneration elixirs. It was slightly overkill considering how slowly these things worked, but she decided running out was not a risk she was willing to take. Birch trees continued to be common throughout the area (Birchhaven did not get its name for no reason after all) so she used a knife to extract some sap from one of the trees as the primary ingredient for those.
In addition, she made a more experimental mixture that Solizzar had dubbed "Alchemist's Fire," which was something Alanna couldn't help but be curious about. This required one vial of glowcap sap and for her to go out into the nearby meadows during sunset to catch some fire beetles. According to Solizzar's instructions, grinding up their carapace and dissolving it in glowcap sap should create a compound that will combust on contact with the air. Having on-demand fire seemed really useful when fighting monsters, though she made extra sure the cork on that flask was kept tightly in place with some twine. She wasn't about to let her backpack catch on fire in the midst of the quest.
She had a relatively simple job: Use her new abilities to guide this adventurer group to a monster. She wasn't even really expected to fight from the sound of it, but there was a tightness in her chest still. She dared not assume this quest was going to be a walk in the park. She wanted to be prepared, and part of her preparation was to act under the assumption that anything could go wrong.
The next morning she arrived early at the proposed meeting spot just outside the Adventurer's Guild. Prutina arrived first, still munching on her breakfast, which consisted of a handful of small carrots. She greeted Alanna politely, but didn't engage in conversation. Khilseith was next to meet them, exactly on time as he agreed. He looked around in annoyance.
"Of course the newbie would be here before the Sorceress," he complained. "If she wasn't such an asset I would have already replaced her."
Minutes ticked by until Melisandre finally arrived from a different part of town, having apparently chosen to stay at an inn that had better amenities than the Guild. She yawned loudly as she arrived.
"Must you be late for every quest?" Khilseith asked with a sigh.
"Oh don't fret so much, that alraune isn't going anywhere," Melisandre replied nonchalantly. "I'm ready to go if everyone else is."
"We are," Khilseith stated, before leading the party out of town at a brisk pace. Alanna found herself backtracking her way up the road north for a few minutes, before Khilseith flipped open a compass and took them further east into the woods. There was an old dirt path here that had clearly not been used in a while.
"According to the client this part of the woods had been sourced for timber a few years ago, and they wanted to source it again this year, only for his laborers to encounter monsters down the road. Keep an eye out," Khilseith stated. He unsheathed his weapon from his back, a long halberd clearly designed to slice open monsters before they could ever touch him.
Khilseith continued to lead without turning around to face anyone, so it seemed like he was addressing the group, but it was pretty clear who he was informing. She felt a slight tug on the sleeve of her shirt to see Prutina looking up at her, still chewing on a bulge in one cheek.
"Clients often mistake what monster they encountered. The Guild had this area scouted out, so we know there's an Alraune here somewhere, but you never know what you may run into. There could be more than just one of the monsters listed, there could be lesser monsters, or there could be a completely different monster," Prutina explained. Alanna smiled and nodded, thankful for the advice.
"What happens if there's a different monster than the contract stated?" she asked.
"The Guild always pays," Khilseith stated, apparently happy to elaborate on this subject, "But if the monster's stronger than what the client advertised we get paid extra, provided we kill it."
It took about an hour of hiking through the woods before they reached the location. While Khilseith had been leading, Prutina was the one that had steered the party through any rough terrain they encountered. Alanna figured that was natural, Prutina was a Druid after all, so this was her specialty, though she was greatly confused by Melisandre. Not only did the Sorceress look greatly out of place, but her boots had such high heels she wondered how Melisandre avoided tripping on every root or branch that was in their way.
"We're here," Khilseith stated suddenly, stopping the group. The trees here were tall and wild-grown, with maples obscuring the sky with their dense canopies and willow branches drooping down to reduce the party's line of sight. It felt crowded, like a busy street, despite no visible movement. "Alanna, you're up. Lead us in."
Alanna nodded, drew her sword and took position at the lead of the group. She drew a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. Now was the time to prove herself. She focused on her hearing, her keen ears picking up the rustling of the wind through the leaves. It was still daylight, so she was sure no one had trouble seeing, but her darkvision meant that nothing would be able to hide from her in the dancing shadows. Her new tremorsense ability allowed her to pick up on vibrations in the ground as well, though it was less useful here in the forest. The vibrant plant life in the area muted any sensations she felt through the damp soil. Her other senses would have to be enough.
There was also a small tingling at the back of her mind. She wasn't quite sure what it meant, but she blamed it on her nerves. She felt like her whole body was on high alert, and that was a good thing.
She began moving forward, stepping slowly through the undergrowth. The group followed behind. She could tell from the sound of their breathing that they were all focused, ready to react to any threat.
She had heard fluttering, and the pitter-patter of little feet on wood. "I hear something," she announced. She looked around the branches above her but saw nothing. Her sword-arm began to shake, phantom pain rushing through her ankle. She could almost imagine goblins preparing an ambush for her, hiding in the trees for them to pass underneath.
The rest of the party became alert at her warning, but after a few moments passed she heard Khilseith sigh. He unceremoniously grabbed her head and tilted it upward towards a big branch with plenty of lichen growing on it, forming a garden suspended above the ground. That's when she saw it: a flicker of glowing wings, and then a couple of tiny creatures pointing and laughing at her.
