Deep within the Winter Forest.
A heavy Protective Magic Array enveloped the expedition's camp, anchored securely by four Shield Radiating Devices driven into the perimeter dirt.
Lilith had deployed a specialized Secret Medicine designed to attract rare magical creatures. If something too dangerous wandered out of the Dragon-Serpent Trees, the Protective Magic Array could be instantly activated to shield the camp.
The wizards had already repelled over a dozen waves of beasts drawn by the lure. After continuous battling and frequent spellcasting, exhaustion was beginning to show on everyone's faces.
Suddenly, a school of peculiar, airborne Purple/White Flying Fish floated out from the dense tree cover, surrounding the camp. Their triangular bodies were coated in shimmering purple and white scales that glinted faintly in the dim light.
The scales along the Purple/White Flying Fish's dorsal fins flared with a sudden, violent purple glow. A fierce gale whipped through the clearing, manifesting as razor-sharp Wind Blades that slashed toward the wizards.
The expedition leader's expression darkened. He quickly channeled his magic into the Shield Radiating Devices, triggering the Protective Magic Array. A translucent, dome-like barrier snapped into place over the camp.
The Wind Blades slammed into the magical shield with a series of piercing, agonizing screeches. Despite the violent scraping, the barrier held firm, deflecting every strike.
The moment the wind assault ceased, the leader deactivated the Protective Magic Array to conserve his magical reserves.
The drop of the shield was the signal. The wizards instantly unleashed a barrage of prepared spells.
After surviving the forest together for days, the team's coordination was seamless. A synchronized volley of blasting curses and stunning spells blanketed the group of Purple/White Flying Fish.
Boom!
While the airborne Purple/White Flying Fish possessed deadly offensive magic, their natural spell resistance was abysmal. Large swaths of the swarm were incinerated or blasted apart. The surviving few scattered back into the forest in a panic.
The smarter beasts drawn by the Secret Medicine usually fled at the first sign of human magic. The ones that didn't now littered the perimeter of the camp.
A veteran wizard wiped sweat from his brow and turned to Lilith. "Miss Lilith, the team is exhausted. We need to conserve our strength for unexpected threats. The Shadow White Deer still hasn't shown itself..."
Lilith looked disappointed, but she knew they couldn't keep fighting a war of attrition. She carefully stoppered the Secret Medicine, sighing helplessly. "It seems the Shadow White Deer simply isn't here. But rest assured, everyone—the bounty promised by the Chamber of Commerce will be paid in full."
The mercenaries let out a collective breath of relief. They immediately began cleaning up the battlefield, harvesting the creature corpses for valuable magical ingredients.
Damian crouched by one of the Purple/White Flying Fish carcasses, carefully slicing off its dorsal fin. Link had just informed him that the fins were highly sought-after potion ingredients.
Damian was desperate for Kingdom Gold Coins. Back in the Gap World, his Alchemy Workshop required massive quantities of Mithril to forge the automated constructs. It was the absolute best conductor for runic circuits, but it was astronomically expensive. With his current vault balance, he couldn't even afford a handful.
"Starting to think the Shadow White Deer went extinct," Link muttered from beside him.
Damian neatly severed another fin and replied slowly, "I heard Victor mention that no one has spotted one in the Winter Forest for a long time. The last recorded sighting was centuries ago."
Damian had chatted with Victor about it a few nights prior, when they had shared the late-night watch rotation.
Damian's knife paused. He threw a subtle glance toward the center of the camp. Victor and three other wizards were huddled together, deep in whispered conversation. They showed zero interest in collecting any spoils.
Damian frowned slightly. One of the wizards standing with Victor—a man with distinctly slanted eyebrows—stood out in his memory.
A few nights ago, Damian had caught the slanted-eyebrow wizard lurking around the expedition's Two-legged Pack Beasts during the graveyard shift.
When Damian had confronted him, the man quickly claimed he was just hungry and looking for rations in the saddlebags.
But the moment they made eye contact, Damian had discreetly employed Legilimency. The brief, flashing probe was enough to confirm the man was lying through his teeth.
Not wanting to tip his hand, Damian hadn't dug any deeper into the man's mind at the time.
Furthermore, the wizard currently standing to Victor's left was the exact same man who had shared the watch rotation with the slanted-eyebrow wizard that suspicious night.
Was it just a coincidence? Were they plotting a mutiny, or a robbery? Or was he just being paranoid?
Damian had quietly warned Link about the suspicious behavior, though he carefully omitted any mention of his Legilimency.
He and Link had kept a close eye on the group over the following days, but they hadn't caught them doing anything else out of the ordinary.
Just as Damian was debating whether to let it go, his runic magic flared—a harsh, instinctual warning. Another attack was coming.
He immediately snapped his head toward the treeline. "Watch out!" he barked at Link and Anna.
Lacking any enchanted sensory tools, Link and Anna were momentarily confused. But after surviving alongside Damian, they knew better than to question his instincts. Wands instantly snapped into their hands.
A second later, Damian saw what looked like a massive swarm of autumn maple leaves drifting out from the dark forest canopy.
Looking closer, the horrific truth became clear. They weren't leaves at all. They were massive, winged insects perfectly camouflaged as dead foliage.
"Damn it!" Link swore, his face draining of color. "Didn't Lilith stopper the Secret Medicine?! How did we draw a swarm of Exploding Leaf-Bugs?!"
"Get back to the camp!" Link yelled, already backpedaling. "The Shield Radiating Devices are still up! The males of that species are highly volatile—they self-destruct when threatened!"
Fortunately, they hadn't strayed far from the perimeter. The three of them sprinted back across the ward line.
Just as their boots hit the safety of the camp, a series of deafening explosions and agonizing screams echoed from the deeper woods.
Some of the other scavengers had been caught in the swarm.
The expedition leader turned pale. He yanked a Secrecy Sensor from his belt. The enchanted device was spinning wildly, glowing blood-red—a massive influx of hostile creatures was surging toward them.
He pointed his wand at the sky and fired a burst of bright red sparks. The emergency recall signal.
There were barely any wizards left inside the perimeter. Most were still out scavenging, completely oblivious to the impending danger.
A few scattered wizards sprinted back across the ward line, panting and terrified. But as the dull thuds of explosions continued echoing through the trees, the mood in the camp grew grim. Many weren't coming back.
Damian stretched his magical senses toward the treeline. The swarm was closing in fast.
Only eighteen wizards stood within the camp. Six had failed to retreat in time.
Seeing the wall of "leaves" about to crest the tree line, the leader made a brutal call. "We can't wait any longer! Activate the Protective Magic Array!"
He slammed his magic into the Core Hub. The translucent, dome-like barrier snapped back into existence, completely sealing the camp.
A split second later, the dense swarm of insects slammed into the shield. The suicidal male bugs detonated on impact, sending dozens of fiery explosions rippling across the magical barrier.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
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