It took a few more days of last-minute preparation, but the group eventually set off toward the Great Forest. The carriage ride didn't take long before they found themselves at the border fortress that blocked the path to the Great Forest. They were greeted by Alexander and his retinue as they passed through the gates before continuing on their way southeast.
The swamps lay to the southern side of the Great Forest so they decided to start their expedition from the Shadow Wolfkin village. They didn't bother getting near, visiting, or letting their presence known. It wasn't necessary when they likely already knew.
By the end of an entire day's travel, they had managed to cover quite a distance, even on rugged terrain, thanks to the modifications Bastion and Lilia had made on the carriage. They changed the wheels to have softer tires, added springs that acted as suspension, reinforced the frame to hold it all together, and then added stronger versions of the common enchantments used for luxury carriages.
The wheels were reinforced for durability, the shock absorbers were made more flexible, and the frame had an added shock dampener that absorbed excess vibrations. Altogether, they could barely feel the carriage being tossed around as it was pulled by Alex's diamond steed, Steve.
The inside of the carriage had a bit of a makeover as well. Rather than the cramped seats Bastion and Lilia had traveled in, the space was expanded to allow for a living room with a few couches and tables, although they hadn't yet added other amenities like a bathroom or kitchen.
They spent the night sleeping in tents before finally setting out on Steve just outside the treeline of the Great Forest. All of them wore their Rank 1 combat gear, ready for action.
Bastion wore his silver heavy armor, with a whip sword in hand and a tall, diamond-shaped great shield at the ready. Seraphina wore red mage robes that resembled a gown and carried a large leather-bound book reinforced with steel frames. Lilia wore blue wizard robes and a matching hat, holding her staff firmly. Elyra wore her maid uniform, specifically designed for Shadows, and was armed with twin swords, twin daggers, and throwing knives strapped to her thighs. Ariel, meanwhile, sported brand-new white leather armor that matched the color of her wings, with hand cannons holstered at her thighs.
One thing they all had in common, though, was that they wore plain white masks that shielded their faces. It acted as a filter for the air they breathed, and enabled telepathic communication.
"This is uncomfortable," Lilia complained. "We should have gone for the full head covering instead."
"The one that made us look like fish in a fish tank?" Seraphina asked.
"These are fine, Lilia," Bastion said firmly. "They're less obstructive, less likely to be damaged in a fight, and the enchantments are cheap to mass-produce."
"This is our lives on the line, though. We should have used the ones that performed the best."
"This is the highest quality we will ever get. If we used the glass ones, we could only enchant the rim, because any enchantments on the glass itself would obstruct our vision."
"We can place them behind the back of our heads or to the sides, beyond our turn radius."
"And when it rotates mid-battle? Or when a shockwave gets too close to our head? Or when it gets covered in mud?"
"Fine, you win this round, but I'm not giving up. I still think a full head cover is better."
"Bastion just doesn't want us to look like astronauts," Seraphina teased.
"I'm not even going to ask," Lilia said, shaking her head.
They rode through the forest at the same speed as they rode their carriage thanks to Steve's ridiculous size and power. Although, Elyra had to ride in Bastion's shadow since even with its size, they couldn't all fit on the steed's back. Four was the maximum occupancy.
As for Ariel and her wings, she had to keep them tucked in while Bastion and Seraphina took turns creating wind shields. At Rank 1, she should have been strong enough to resist it, but she hadn't had the time to fully develop her stats. Stat-wise, she was at the peak of Apprentice Rank and would need more time to reach her full potential. Time the group didn't have if they wanted to get a jump on the opportunity Bastion had discovered.
He had a feeling this opportunity was fleeting. He didn't have any specifics, just a sense, as if he were grasping fine silk that was starting to slip through his fingers. So he cut short their preparations and simply went for it. Otherwise, he would have preferred they take another decade to allow Ariel to reach her full potential.
They weaved between impossibly tall trees that resembled evergreens. The forest floor was thick with shrubs, and the ground was bare and rough, with no grass to soften their steps.
Occasionally, they came across flowers or plants that Seraphina insisted on harvesting. She would dismount briefly to collect them before quickly catching up using Scorching Wings. Fortunately, she could disable the trail of flames, allowing her to keep pace without slowing the group or causing any harm.
"We're only at the outskirts, and there's already this much natural resources for harvest. No wonder villages here insist on roughing it out. They must make a significant amount of income," Seraphina commented.
"They do indeed make a significant income, but it comes at the cost of their lives. They can't exactly expand given their death rate, even though they have the resources for a greater population."
"Why don't they just move?" Lilia asked.
"And reduce their profits by passing by the fortress every time? I doubt it. I wouldn't make that decision as the village chief. If anything, I would create villages in the forest itself to maximize profits."
"In exchange for your people's lives?" Ariel asked, shocked by the brutality.
"It would result in a direct increase of fighting power in exchange for weeding out the weak. It's a tactical decision that favors quality over quantity. Personally speaking, though, I prefer balance. A healthy amount of both is necessary for a thriving community."
"You just said you would prefer to live out directly in the forest, which would lead to greater sacrifices."
"If I were the village chief who had to pick between profits or population, I would send the Rank 1 and Rank 2 out of the village and have them live in the forest, while the weaker population would stay by the mountainside to thrive, protected by the wall of villages surrounding it. This way, I get the best of both worlds."
Ariel had to admit that sounded like it made sense. Let the weak thrive and be useful in their own way while the strong lived the life they preferred.
"Wouldn't there be a social divide?" Seraphina asked.
"That would only come with propaganda. If everyone understood the harsh lesson of community early on, it wouldn't be much of a problem. As for those who really want to start a fight, well, that's why the strongest typically rule over the weak, not necessarily the smartest or wisest."
The group continued their travel until nighttime, at which point they took out their camping gear and set up for the night. Elyra took charge of cooking, Ariel kept watch until midnight, and Zephy, the whispering owl, kept watch until morning. They then started the day with a heavy breakfast before continuing on their way.
For the next few days, they didn't encounter any problems with the local creatures, either because they were regularly hunted so close to the village or because the aftereffects of the stampede were still in effect. There were weaker creatures watching and waiting, but they were mostly Rank 1 and below. Against Bastion's group of five Rank 1s, they didn't dare take the chance to fight. Either way, it was smooth riding for the most part.
That changed after spending a week traveling through the Great Forest. The atmosphere clearly became more hostile, with more eyes watching them with predatory gazes rather than inquisitive or wary ones.
The hostility was palpable, with occasional roars serving as warnings for trespassing in the creatures' territory. The group simply ignored them, ready to face any challenge thrown their way. Most of the time, however, they were allowed to pass as the owners of the territory cowered in their burrows.
That was until one night, when they were deep asleep. Zephy was perched on a tree, waiting and watching for anything unusual. She had received orders from Bastion that the area was more dangerous, so she was more alert than normal.
The night was unnaturally quiet, with predators lurking in the shadows. Her instructions were clear, though, only warn them if they were under attack; otherwise, they would never get any sleep with all the creatures watching them.
A rustle came from the bushes that was too close for comfort so she whispered in her eerie ghostly voice to serve as a warning.
"Stay~ away~. You have been warned~."
A figure darted out of the shadows, sprinting on all fours straight for Ariel's tent. It had singled her out as the weakest of the group earlier that day.
Zephy let out shrill shrieks, warning them of the incoming attack, but it was too late.
The creature reached the tent, opened its mouth wide to gather fire mana, and unleashed a searing jet of flames.
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