The Beast of Ildenwood: 4. Return to Samat

The Beast of Ildenwood 

4. Return to Samat

When they are but a handful of hours away from Samat, the Wanderer of Realms falls asleep – quite literally. She is walking and he is following when she hears the tell-tale thump.

Lahab glances up at the stars. It is to be expected, at this time of night, and after so many hours of walking. He has been very strong-willed and disciplined, and has lasted longer than she thought he might, but even he cannot fight his limitations.

She cannot stop. To stop now, when they are so close, and with nightfall upon them, would be ridiculous. She can make it to Samat before daybreak, and rest there at the home of the spellcaster who once knew her father. If she were traveling alone, she would have already arrived at the kingdom.

So, she decides to do what she did the first time she met the Wanderer, and pushes him – as gently as she can – into her magic sack, where he is sure to tumble down and fall upon all of her supplies. Nothing there is breakable… is it? 

Well, he might be. 

Nevertheless, she forges on, sack over one shoulder and bundle in one arm. In the comforting silence of her sleeping forest, under a serene canopy of leaves and stars, she keeps up a comfortably brisk pace, eager to arrive at the kingdom before daybreak. In the meantime, she decides to check on Ildenwood.

“Show me my domain,” she speaks, and the book obliges. 

Ildenwood Forest
Health:	Good	Visitors:	1
Enchantment:	Forest of Deceit	Domain Controls 

The two visitors who were tracking her are no longer in the forest. She’d received a notification earlier on stating that they had left through the western border, where they had entered from. Her enchantment must have pushed them out in a haze of confusion.

But that did not mean that she could relax. It would have been easier for them to send someone on horseback around the borders of her forest, and there might even be someone waiting for her up ahead. 

Strange, now that I think about it. Not a soul enters or leaves my domain but that I know of it, for I am the keeper of the forest. And yet… 

The Wanderer of Realms – not once had she received word of his entering Ildenwood. Such things do not happen – not in her experience. She has had people try to sneak into the forest before – poachers, merchants, greedy thieves – but not a single one had been overlooked by her. And now, this strange young man, without memory, wielding a strange title to go along with a fatal curse – this man appears in her forest and she is the last to know. This unsettles her, the idea that, whoever he is, he is powerful enough to move through an area without being detected by one who claims dominion over it. 

There are no such things as coincidences, my child. There is only fate, and fate does not suffer mistakes to pass. 

Her father used to tell her that. Lahab believes it with every fiber in her being, and so she wonders what fate has in store for this Wanderer, and how she fits into whatever has been put in motion. And how does he fit into her plans?

She sighs and dismisses these thoughts. There is no use worrying over such matters yet. When they arrive at Samat, she will take him to Deletrear. Perhaps he will be able to lift the Wanderer’s curse and return his memories. Maybe then, she will know the true origins and motives of the Wanderer. Until then, it made little sense to worry.

“Show me domain controls,” she orders, and they materialize before her. Here she is able to make high-level decisions about the forest at large, and since she is leaving – and does not know how long she will be away – she decides to ensure that Ildenwood is guarded while she is gone.

Unfortunately, there will always be those who hunger after the great bounties and wealth they can produce from hunting and gathering in Ildenwood Forest. The Burrows especially are a target for poachers trying to get their hands on feral lepurs, glowing moles, and even the most dangerous of all: the Ildenwood panthers.

The Blazing Field, too, is a place often visited by those looking to profit off the natural wonders of the forest, for it is home to many potent flowers, so vibrant are they in their colouring that they create a magnificent feast for the eyes – and can be made into a most intense dyes and powders.

A long time ago, these areas were plundered so often that the flora and fauna became all but extinct. It was not until Lahab and her father came to live here as official guardians of the Ildenwood Forest that there was finally some peace to be had.

After some configuration, she has set a number of enchantments.

Thorned Mass	A tall, thick mass of twisted vines sporting long, sharp thorns. Used to protect The Burrows and The Blazing Field.	Active
Crystal Net	An invisible net thrown over the Ildenwood Lake to prevent fishing, keep the water clean, and keep curious swimmers away from the mysterious waters.	Active
Mycorrhizal Pathway	The fungal network within the forest act as sensors, tracking movement within the forest and sharing any abnormal or unusual activity. Also monitors the health of the forest.	Active
Forest of Deceit	An enchantment that confuses the minds of visitors and leads them in circles, eventually returning them to the point from which they entered the forest.	Active

Though she hesitates to keep the Forest of Deceit enchantment active, lest there be innocent travelers wishing safe passage through the forest, it is a decision that Lahab feels is unavoidable. After all, there is a battlefield on the other side of the forest, and she wants to ensure that the violence and destruction of war does not reach its dark hands into Ildenwood.

The other enchantments are necessary to protect the forest from intruders who wish to harm the ecosystem, while the Mycorrhizal Pathway will allow her to monitor the health and happenings of the inhabitants of her fair forest even when she is far away. Lahab hopes she will be able to return soon, but she knows not what lies ahead as she journeys forward.

When at last she sees reaches the eastern border of her domain, Lahab crosses the threshold.

You have left Ildenwood Forest.

And then...

You have entered the Kingdom of Samat.

And, as simple as that, she has left her domain – the seat of her own power, the place she has sworn to protect and serve – and officially begins her journey to Nur Tower, where she must deliver the precious artifact bundled up in her arms before it is too late.

Nur Tower is still a ways away, however, and Lahab knows better than to expect that her journey will be an uneventful one. She will need to find provisions in Samat for her little adventure, and knows not whether the Wanderer will join her further or stay in Samat. But that is for him to choose. One must decide on the path one will take.

As she trudges on, the ground below her becomes paler, and vegetation sparser. The trees here are scattered, and there are so few. The land of Samat is, for the most part, just like this – pale, flat, and inhospitable to most plant life. The transition from this land to that which she guards is almost jarring – Ildenwood is a barrier that refuses to yield to this ever-encroaching landscape.

It is not long before Lahab finds herself on a wide dirt path leading to the capital city of Miraya, and she finds herself settling into a feeling of comfort with the realization that should an ambush lie ahead, it will not be on this road, where none can hide. White flats stretch in all directions, and as she walks Lahab feasts her eyes upon the expansive grounds that Samat is named for.

It is the end of the rainy season, and while the dirt path is somewhat, the flats have mostly retained their reflective sheen due to the most recent rainfall. The water turns the land into a mirror, and Lahab understands that it has something to do with the salt crystals in the ground. Nevertheless, the effect is absolutely breathtaking, and she feels as though she were walking upon a path through the stars.

When she reaches the first town, it is almost daybreak. The silhouettes of turreted towers to each side of the town limits loom over her, and beyond them the dark mass of buildings – homes, shops, schools, government offices, and more. Here and there, warm light spills from a window and bathes the cobblestone streets. There is nobody about – not yet, for it is much too early in the day – but she walks with her senses sharp and awake, for she cannot allow herself to let her guard down. While they couldn’t have been waiting for her out in the flats, it seems a given they will be waiting for her within cover of the town.

She is right.

A small shuffling behind alerts her to a tail, and she changes her route, weaving through alley after alley in hopes that she will lose them. Her Instinct, which is of a relatively high level, allows her to get a feel for the follower – a large man, by the feel of things, but heavy-footed and slow. She does not want to battle with them – not with the artifact in her arms, so precious and fragile as it is. She activates her shield attribute as a precaution. 

Guardian’s Shield has been activated. You are protected.

“Transfer to Muna,” she orders.

Are you sure you want to transfer the activated Guardian’s Shield attribute to Muna?

“Yes,” she huffs before the question has even faded fully into view, and it promptly dissolves into nothingness, replaced with another message:

Guardian’s Shield has been transferred to Muna. Muna is protected.

The attribute will not completely keep the object from harm, but it is the best thing she can use to keep it from taking damage, for now.

It is only a few moments before she feels she has lost her tracker, but she cannot be certain that he will not find her again. She sets the bundle down at her feet and quickly rummages through her sack, seeking the Lydiadem. This is one of the many treasures her little cabin hosted – an enchanted object her father brought back long ago after a noble mission to the far-off lands of Gygesia.

There is no reason to believe this tracker is anything more than an average soldier and hunter at best, so Lahab dons the Lydiadem, picks up her bundle and sack, and is on her way once more, this time no longer bothering to hide in alleys or weave through them in an effort to confuse this tail. 

The Lydiadem’s enchantment is activated. You cannot be seen. Your held personal effects cannot be seen.

With the Lydiadem, she needn’t worry about keeping to the shadows or being seen – though she must stay quiet, and so her steps are slow and deliberate as she tries to be light-footed as she wanders through the cobblestone streets of this little town on the outskirts of Miraya. It does not take long for Lahab to find her way to the town square.

Enlisting the help of the painted map erected in the town square, she heads for Rowarr Inn, where she stayed once before. The innkeeper is a gentle old woman, and to see a friendly face before embarking on a perilous journey means much to Lahab.

She does not remove the Lydiadem until she is standing before the Rowarr Inn, and even then not until she ensures that she is not being watched or followed. When she enters the inn, she is greeted by the warmth of a crackling fire, a collection of small circular dining tables for guests, and wooden counter upon which sits a small bell. 

You have entered Rowarr Inn. Welcome back, Noble Guardian of Ildenwood.

Lahab dismisses the message and the floating scroll disintegrates into dust, which then fades into nothingness. The Rowarr Inn, as with most other inns and commercial areas, is a Neutral Zone. Weapons are prohibited, as is any form of violence, along with a range of crimes that are prohibited in almost all zones. At the counter, she rings the bell, content that she is safe – for now.

A middle-aged man shuffles dazedly out a door leading to a back room and yawns in greeting. “How can I help you?” he asks, his speech slurred from want of sleep.

“I have come from Ildenwood, and require a place to stay,” Lahab says. “Have you any rooms?”

“Ildenwood?” he echoes, and in a short moment the man is wide awake, staring at Lahab with evident curiosity. “You’ve come from the forest, you say?”

“Yes,” Lahab says with a gracious smile. She has not left her forest for quite some time, but the people did not forget a noble. “I am the Guardian of Ildenwood.”

He blinks, frozen in surprise, and suddenly reanimates. “The Guardian! You honor us with your presence! Welcome, welcome! Ours is but a humble inn, but there is always room for nobles within its walls. Please, follow me,” he says quickly, grabbing a set of keys and stepping out from behind the wooden counter.

“You have stayed here once before, have you not?” he asks as he leads her up the creaky wooden staircase. “My mother spoke of it often. She said she’d never slept so well as she did the night you were under her roof.”

“Yes,” Lahab responds quietly. “I take it the innkeeper at the time was your mother? I recall she made an excellent roast chicken dish and smelled quite like the forest does when the autumn has fallen. I should very much like to see her again, for I was just as happy with my stay under her roof as she was to have me.”

“Ah,” he says, leading her down a hall. He scratches the back of his head, and for a moment his mood seems colder. “That is kind of you, Guardian. My mother would have liked that very much, but alas, she is no longer with us.”

Lahab is taken aback by the news, though she knows not why. The woman had been quite elderly when she’d visited last, and Lahab had been away for such a long time… The emptiness that came with this realization was unexpectedly potent – perhaps so because it reminded her of her father and his own passing.

“My condolences,” she all but whispers. “May her soul rest in peace and find mercy.”

Your supplication has been sent.

“Thank you,” he replies, and busies himself unlocking the door they have come to a stop at. “Here we are – this is a good room, with a good view of the salt flats in the distance. But, of course, you know that already. This is the room where you stayed before.”

The innkeeper gives her the keys and hovers for only a moment, mentioning something about a good meal awaiting her after she has rested.

“I have a traveling companion who will be joining me,” she tells him before he leaves. “Please, do not be alarmed if you see him – and you will know him when you do, for he is an oddly-made fellow with striking eyes. We are traveling on important business, and should very much appreciate it if you could keep our presence here as quiet as possible.”

“Of course,” he acquiesces, holding a hand over his heart. “You are safe under my roof, Guardian. And do let me know if ever you are in need of anything.”

When Lahab is finally alone, she throws her sack onto one of the beds and drags the Wanderer of Realms out of it as gently as she can, untangling him from the mess of clothes and other odd bits and pieces he has somehow encased himself in. He sleeps soundly still, and she pulls off his boots before covering him with a blanket.

She locks the door, leaving the key in the lock, and leaves the curtains open, for the light that filters in is better than nothing at all, and she does not want to light a fire or candles, lest she alert her follower to her location.

Lahab sighs in relief as she pulls off her own leather boots and lies down on the second bed, suddenly overcome with exhaustion. Her Energy levels are relatively high, but she has been walking for many hours now without stopping, and even what little food they ate, they ate while walking.

Now it is her turn to fall asleep, and she does so, readily offering herself up to the dreams that vie to submerge her.

She dreams of the object – of this precious artifact she means to protect with her life – and a deep pit of lava, furiously writhing and swashing and crashing.

A man – little more than a shadow – stands at the edge of the pit, staring down at the mesmerizing site, and Lahab can almost feel the stifling heat.

He holds out something – the thing – the artifact, unbundled and vulnerable in his hands. For a moment, everything is frozen.

And then, to her horror, the malicious presence that is the shadow-man releases the artifact, and it falls, deeper and deeper, into the pit.

Lahab follows, in hopes that perhaps – in some small way – she can stop the terror that is about to rain down on their world.

🌋

A page from Lahab's book...

Lydiadem

The Lydiadem is a crown-like artifact that allows the wearer to become invisible from those around them. It is a powerful artifact, and the oldest known item made with the Disappearing Enchantment. Though worn as a crown, the Lydiadem was in fact fashioned as a ring for giant folk, who have since become extinct. The artifact was found in a tomb of giants in the far-off land of Gygesia, and it is posited that invisibility is only one of many powers it gives the wearer, if only they know to ask. The Lydiadem is made of pure gold, and has triangular holes in its front side. The gems within are not held by any frame or bezels - they simply hover within these carved triangular gaps, floating through some magic. The previous Guardian of Ildenwood discovered the Lydiadem on a mission in Gygesia and returned with it, handing it down to the current Guardian of Ildenwood, his daughter.