After hearing Peter Mauk's, as he called himself, declaration, Ra Ra Rasputin could already feel the blood within his veins pumping with renewed vigor. His fingers twitched over the grips of his revolvers, itching to grasp the worn wood and see to it that their main purpose was fulfilled.
Wait...do I have such a thing as blood anymore? Would pipes be my veins, while oil coursed through them? So strange to think I've had this body for a week already, but I still don't understand any of it.
Ra Ra Rasputin's gaze flitted to his trigger happy servos, the leather gloves muffling the clicking of each digit's joints as he curled them into a fist. Though his body was completely covered by the armor and attire that he usually wore, the natural sounds of his body were, at best, mostly muffled. While he had returned to his quarters to grab his "battle gear" as he lovingly called it, he had also made sure to grab a specialized ring that muffled ambient noises that he produced. Good thing I never gave this back to Flatfoot, the gunslinger thought, flexing his pinky where the ring rested.
When his attention finally returned back to the adventuring quartet before him, he noticed that they were leading him and his guildmates up a nearby flight of steps. Soon enough, they were all seated at a polished spruce table, the chair he sat in creaking under the weight of him and his equipment.
"I know what we're asking of you guys might seem too much at first, so if you guys decide to back out, we completely understand," Peter said, placing his hands palms down on the table.
His teammate, the archer, looked as if he were about to say something, only to wisely close his mouth and relax back into his chair.
Momonga, ever the "wise" guild leader, spoke up.
"Nonsense! We'd be happy to help you four out on this venture, especially if this helps us climb the ranks as quickly as you say," Momonga said, his raven-black armor clanking with each movement.
"Oh, trust me," Peter said, "This is a very dangerous and risky task, but I do believe that if we can pull this off, we'll all get an advancement."
"So what is it exactly you wish to do with this 'Wise King of the Forest' that you speak of?" Ra Ra Rasputin mentally asked, having CZ repeat his question after reopening his private messenger with his guildmates and the pleiade.
"Well," Ninya, the spell caster, began, "we wanted to try and capture the Wise King of the Forest, and then bring him back here to be documented. If we can manage that, the guild will not only pay us for any info they can learn from the Wise King, but we'll also get a rank advancement as a reward."
"And this is something that the guild would just allow? I'm surprised that we didn't see a flyer for it down at the quest board," Ariel said, her brows creasing underneath her wolf skull helmet. CZ translated for her as well.
"That's because it wasn't," Dyne Woodwonder said. "When it comes to tasks like these, they're not usually officially listed because it's either considered too dangerous or there is no real demand at the moment for that type of quest."
"So...how can you be so sure," Momonga asked, leaning slightly forwards, "that we would even be compensated for something such as this, if it's not 'officially listed' as you say."
Ra Ra Rasputin copied his guild leader, as did CZ Delta and Ariel from what he could see out of the corner of his optics.
"That's because a task like this would be considered something like 'legendary'," Lukrut Volve replied, an easy going smirk gracing his face.
"Legendary how?"
"Legendary as in 'nobody else has ever captured the Wise King', that's what. Anyone who's ever tried either came back home with nothing to show, or didn't come back at all."
Ra Ra Rasputin blinked, taking in the new knowledge that he had just been given.
"A really long time ago," Ninya started, "there was an old band of adventurers that began exploring the Forest of Tob. They came across the Wise King of the Forest, where he then slaughtered every single member of the team, except for one. He came back, and was the one who spread the story. Now, at least once a year, a new team goes out to try and either capture or kill it."
Momonga leaned back into his chair as he hummed in thought. Ra Ra Rasputin's messenger pinged.
"What do you guys think?" Momonga asked. "Do you think that this 'Wise King of the Forest' could really be a threat to us?"
"If your experience in the little village is anything to go off of, I'd say that we should be fine," Ra Ra Rasputin said, not moving as he pretended to be deep in thought for the other adventuring team.
"Except that was ONE instance," Ariel retorted. "Nubo still hasn't found everything that's out there, not to mention that none of the minions we've sent out have come back."
"It could be a worthwhile endeavor," CZ Delta added. "Though I know that your aim is not to become widespread as Lord Bellriver's original plan was, this could still be of great benefit to all of Ainz Ooal Gown."
"Not to mention that if this 'Wise King of the Forest' is really as legendary as they say he is, then we would still get a major reputation boost," Ra Ra Rasputin finished.
Ariel seemed as if she wanted to argue her point, with how strained her end of the messenger felt to the automaton gunslinger. The tension eased as Ariel must have realized it was still three against one, and she relented on her previous unease.
Momonga shot back up, thrusting a gauntlet laden hand out to Peter Mauk. "I believe that this will truly be a legendary accomplishment. Even if we don't get paid or a rank up from this, the renown will still be worth it."
Peter and his team were all grins as he clasped Momonga's outstretched hand in a firm handshake. "Welcome to the Swords of Darkness guys! We're happy to have you aboard!"
Lukrut rested his head against his hand as he gave Ariel and CZ a sly wink. "It'll always be a pleasure, especially when we have two great teammates like Aria and Cerise along."
Lukrut's teammates groaned at his antics, while "Cerise" merely stared ahead and "Aria" pulled her helmet further down her head. Ra Ra Rasputin didn't miss the way that Ariel's shoulders tensed, and his fingers twitched as his servo hovered over his right revolver.
"It's okay," Ariel said, her messenger lighting up in Ra Ra Rasputin's mind. "It's not exactly like me and CZ haven't gained any other attention today. He seems relatively harmless, plus I have you guys here with me, so I'm not worried."
The gunslinger's digits stilled, and his gloved servo went to rest back on the table.
"You wouldn't happen to be seeing anyone, either of you? Because I am totally in love!" Lukrut declared, doing a spectacular twirl. He lay his right hand on his forehead as he swept his other hand back, not unlike an actor in an old Shakespearan holovid.
Peter shoved Lukrut's head down, giving them all an apologetic smile. "Sorry about my friend's advances. He's really happy to have you guys along, even if he shows it off a bit too much."
"We appreciate your consideration," Momonga said, "But if Aria says at any point to stop, we, especially her, would be grateful if you listened."
"Yeah, of course," Peter awkwardly chuckled, his teammates and the guildmates of Ainz Ooal Gown joining in as well to lighten the mood.
Ariel's right, Ra Ra Rasputin thought, this man seems far too harmless to do anything stupid. Even if he isn't… he patted Point, his right-hand revolver.
Eventually, they all stood up, Lukrut calming down as he padded along like a lost puppy after Ariel and CZ Delta as they descended the stairs.
"We'll need to go out and get some extra supplies for this trip," Peter said once they were at the bottom. "If you guys would like, you can come along with us, and see a little bit more of the city. Or you can meet us outside the city walls about two hours after noon."
"I think we'll join you," Momonga said, readjusting the broadswords on his back. "My friends and I only just arrived today, and we'd like to do some exploring."
"Sounds like a plan to us," Peter confirmed, pushing open the doors of the Adventurer's guild as he led them all outside.
—-
For the next three to four hours, they would delve deeper into the fortress city, passing by unique family owned shops that sold wares of all kinds. Ra Ra Rasputin was especially interested in a shop that Dyne pointed out as "Boom-and-Doom", which sold a variety of explosives and gunpowder.
"Hand-held cannons are a bit of a rarity these days, usually reserved for perhaps the nobility or those rich enough to commission one," Dyne explained, the druid coming into the shop with him to browse. "So when I noticed yours, I instantly knew that you'd love a place like this."
Dyne was a relatively easy-going and calm man, which made talking to him, or rather having Dyne talk at him, an overall pleasant experience. Ra Ra Rasputin was especially touched by the fact that Dyne took the time to ask him questions that he could easily answer by either nodding or shaking his head.
By the time he and Dyne exited the shop, Ra Ra Rasputin saw that Ninya's and Ariel's hands were laden with an assortment of magical concoctions and scrolls.
Peter and Momonga were conversing over a map that Peter held, most likely of the forest that they would be venturing into to find the so-called "Wise King of the Forest".
CZ Delta trailed behind the magic casters, with Lukrut keeping a respectable, but still close, distance to the smaller automaton. The both of them pulled various different nets and spring loaded traps in hand-drawn wagons.
"So, you wouldn't happen to be seeing any one of your adventuring partners would you? Or someone back home?" Lukrut asked flirtatiously, leaning against a nearby lamp post.
"I'm celibate," CZ flatly said.
"Oh." His face fell, but didn't stay that way for long.
They all made sure to stand on the sidewalk, keeping out of the way of the many citizens and occasional carriage on the main road of the marketplace. Ninya let out a gasp as she excitedly pointed to a nearby building.
"Aria, look! That's one of the universities that I was telling you about! One of the last remnants from when the Re-Estize Kingdom and the Baharuth Empire were one and the same."
Ariel grinned with the same enthusiasm as the young spell caster, with CZ auto translating Ariel's private messages for Ninya. "Lady Aria believes that to be a fascinating fact about this city, but if I might ask for all of us, what is this Baharuth Empire you speak of?"
Peter whistled as he looked up from the map he and Momonga were studying. "You guys weren't kidding, you really must be new around here if you don't know about the Empire."
"Which is why my friends and I decided to join you on this little shopping trip. I take it that they're quite important?" Momonga answered easily.
"Definitely. They're further east from here, but they're a powerful and advanced nation. I don't know much more about how they work or what they do, but they've been warring with the Re-Estize Kingdom for as long as any of us can remember. Ninya's right that Re-Estize and Baharuth were one nation, at least until the Evil Deities came along."
"The Evil Deities?"
"The stories go that they were an ancient group of demons that tried to destroy all humanity. The Thirteen Heroes ended up stopping them, but not before a lot of nations ended up destroyed or scattered, like the one that would eventually become Re-Estize and Baharuth."
Ra Ra Rasputin tuned out the rest of the conversation, him and Dyne Woodwonder people-watching as Peter and Ninya more or less gave a history lesson to his friends. By the time the automaton refocused, the sun had begun to sink closer to the horizon.
"It seems to have gotten later in the day than I thought," Peter remarked, rolling up the map. "How about we meet up tomorrow morning? We can go and find a nice place to have dinner, and then we can retire back to our hotels for the night."
"A kind offer, but I'm afraid that my guildmates and I will want to go back to the tavern we're staying at and begin planning," Momonga said.
It wasn't until Peter said "dinner" that Ra Ra Rasputin realized that there would be a potentially fatal flaw in their plan to work with the Swords of Darkness. Ariel can eat, but Momonga and I can't. What the hell are we supposed to do out in the field?
Ariel spared him a worried glance when she caught his eye, their mental wavelengths apparently synching up in that moment.
"You guys sure?" Lukrut said, his expression looking downright dejected. "I know maybe I came on a little strongly, but I'll be on my best behavior, I promise!"
"We won't force you," Dyne said, placing a gentle hand on Ra Ra Rasputin's shoulder. "We think you're a rather interesting group, and we would like to get to know you some more. It'll be our treat."
"Well…," Momonga trailed off, fumbling for another excuse to their request.
"If you come along, I could tell you some more about the Baharuth Empire and Re-Estize!" Ninya offered, putting on such a pure and warm smile that Ra Ra Rasputin practically wanted to melt.
"It couldn't hurt, could it?" Ariel asked over their private messenger.
"We can come up with an excuse for why we don't eat, right?" Ra Ra Rasputin said, looking imploringly to his guild leader. Even CZ trained her crosshair eye on the Overlord, awaiting his response.
Momonga sighed, his shoulder slumping. "Alright. You're right, maybe settling down somewhere for something to eat wouldn't be such a bad idea. Word of warning though, you'll be doing most of the eating."
The Swords of Darkness chuckled at Momonga's seeming jest, only quieting when they realized when the guild mates hadn't joined in.
"How come?" Ninya asked. "Are you fasting or something?"
"Yes, actually," CZ Delta answered, parroting Ariel's words. "For the entirety of this week and partially the next, my team and I will be fasting in honor of the Goddess."
"The Goddess?" Dyne asked. "Do you mean in terms of one of the Six?"
"No," CZ said. "Where we come from, we worship only two gods; the Horned God and the Goddess of Nature. We are Wiccans."
The Sword of Darkness let out a collective "ah" at Ariel's indirect explanation through CZ, though doubt lingered among some of them.
"That sounds really interesting!" Ninya declared, getting closer to Ariel and observing her gear more closely. "Is that why you've taken vows of silence as well?"
"We can explain more at the tavern you all wish to go to," Momonga said. "Shall we, Peter?"
Peter nodded. "Absolutely. We know a pretty good but inexpensive place. Like Dyne said, it'll be our treat."
"Nonsense. We can pay for ourselves. Our traditions dictate that we do not burden our host anymore than we need to," Momonga lied, catching on to what CZ had been saying.
Peter shrugged. "Suit yourself. Now, if you'll just follow us…"
Soon enough, Ra Ra Rasputin and his friends found themselves in front of a small but lively pub, rowdy but good natured laughter ringing from within. As they entered, the hostess near immediately sat them at a somewhat cramped but large enough wooden table. Kegs of frothy ale were set in front of them.
"Compliments to the Sword of Darkness," The young, blond hostess said. "They're always welcome back here after what they did for my pa!"
She gave a wink to the quartet, who all looked away with rosy blushes on their faces. Though Ra Ra Rasputin knew he couldn't take off his mask in fear of revealing his identity, he did take his leather hat off and hang it on the corner of his chair. The mask covered the entirety of his head, acting more like a balaclava save for the additional goggles and breathing tubes his headwear provided.
Though Ra Ra Rasputin could not get drunk (he had tried), the rest of the early evening blurred together. Ariel had taken off her helmet, the Amulet of Greater Hel she was wearing shimmering as the illusion strengthened. It was only a split second to him, but the gunslinger saw Ariel's true self underneath her heavy gear.
Even as a heteromorph, her features were striking. High and delicate cheekbones framed a surprisingly sturdy face, with glowing cyan eyes that shone like headlights. She had a button nose, and her hair was a cascading waterfall of seasonal leaves, shifting from autumn reds and yellows to mid-summer greens. Her skin was the color of white oak, small rivets in the bark that composed her skin allowed him to trace each pathway with his optics alone for hours.
Her form shimmered as the illusion took hold, but there was a strange overlay of her true form, as if someone had placed a transparent sheet over her that resembled a human.
Her skin was the same oaky brown that her true form was, only now it lacked the bark-like texture of her fey form. Her hair was no longer leaves but instead burgundy ringlets that curled around her face. Her eyes more easily revealed a faint but noticeable twinkle, as if she were on the verge of telling a joke that would have the whole table erupt in laughter.
Ra Ra Rasputin found himself entranced, but tore himself away when Ariel turned to face Ninya, the younger man capturing his guildmates' attention as he regaled her with tales of ancient countries and weathered schools of thought.
Something feels...OFF about that boy, the automaton thought, stroking his metallic chin underneath the gas mask.
CZ sat to his right, informing Lukrut the archer on everything there was to know of their supposed "religion".
"...so wait, you guys really believe that everybody's life force is in rhythm with the moon?" Lukrut asked, his teasing attitude replaced by one that was far more engaged.
"Actually, we regularly practice certain rites to attune ourselves with the rhythm of other life forces in accordance with the phases of the moon," CZ corrected. "We also practice these rites with the Seasonal Quarters and Cross Quarters."
"That really is quite fascinating," Dyne jumped in. "I am curious though, how does it relate to Aria and Roger taking vows of silence? Is it one of the rites that you practice?"
Momonga chose that moment to butt in himself. "Actually, that's something that is more of a personal journey, though it does have to deal with our beliefs. Unfortunately, neither I or Cerise can tell you, as it is very personal, and only Aria and Roger could tell you."
Lukrut and Dyne hummed in understanding, the conversation being cut off by the arrival of the main course: an entire roast, suckling pig on a bed of potatoes, carrots, and onions. A red apple was shoved into its mouth, the seared skin still sizzling with grease.
"...It's times like this that I miss eating food," Ra Ra Rasputin said, aiming his comment to his Guild leader.
"You and me both," Momonga agreed.
The nightly blur resumed, with the Swords of Darkness tucking into their meal while Ra Ra Rasputin communed with the fey shaman and skeletal Overlord, the pleiade patiently listening off to the side.
As time marched on and the night got older, the guildmates of Ainz Ooal Gown and the Swords of Darkness left the pub, the latter slightly stumbling from the alcohol they had ingested.
It was a quiet walk back to their own dingy inn, but uneventful even as they walked back up to their rooms. Ariel immediately slumped into the one of the two beds, snoring softly as soon as her head hit the pillows. Ra Ra Rasputin and Momonga took off their headgear, allowing their true forms to take a "breather" in a manner of speaking.
"Do you really think that catching this 'Wise King of the Forest' will be able to help us explore more of this land?" Ra Ra Rasputin asked over the private messenger, some of his gears shuddering as they caught on a small piece of dust.
"I believe, at the very least, that catching this 'Wise King' will give us some wiggle room to more freely explore the Re-Estize Kingdom," Momonga said, his fiery eye sockets dimming slightly.
"How so?"
"If we can at least establish a worthy reputation, then our name will spread, and demand for our services may even shoot up. The more and more dangerous quests that we can complete, the easier it will be to delve into the kingdom without having to constantly hide and lie our way through."
"Are we TRULY sure this is something we should indulge in? Seems rather foolhardy to me."
Momonga took that moment to lean against the window, the curtains drawn just enough to allow a sliver of moonlight to pass through.
Ever since he had become his own avatar, Ra Ra Rasputin found that Momonga's poker face had improved dramatically. The only times it ever broke was whenever his jaw actually moved, and that in of itself was a rare sight indeed.
"I can't promise that what we'll be doing is worthwhile in terms of a challenge," Momonga admitted, forgoing the private messenger. "All I can promise is that at least we'll be seeing new sights, and that whatever happens, it was worth it all to be here with you guys."
Ra Ra Rasputin placed a servo above where his heart would've been, had he still been organic.
"Truly, your words touch my soul! When did you become such a poet, my dear Momonga?"
His skeletal comrade chuckled quietly, punching the automaton in the shoulder with a resounding clang. Ariel shifted in her sleep at the loud contact, rolling over onto her side to face the wall.
"Lady Ariel is fifty-six percent asleep, my lords," CZ Delta said, letting her hair out of its ponytail as she stood in a corner of the room. "I would advise greater caution if you do not wish to wake her."
Momonga rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry, it seems I got a tad carried away. We'll be more quiet, I promise."
CZ merely nodded, her singular optic beginning to dim as she seemed to enter a sort of "rest" mode.
"Hey, CZ?" Ra Ra Rasputin asked.
Her optic returned to life, as her messenger activated. "Yes, my Lord?"
"I just remembered. When you were first showing us this trick with the messenger, you made a comment about this place being a 'Third World'." He tilted his head. "What did you mean by that?"
Momonga sat a little straighter, seeming to also be interested in the question.
CZ answered, "It is common knowledge among the other denizens of Nazarick that, when the Supreme Beings are not engaging their enemies across the Nine Realms, or in residence within Nazarick, they would depart to… Somewhere Else."
She raised her hands in front of her, and held them flat and parallel to the floor. One was at shoulder-height, the other above her head.
"We have very little knowledge of this place, or what transpires there, but it was commonly accepted to be the original home of all the Supreme Ones, thus making it a higher state of existence than the place Nazarick was built."
CZ wiggled the hand at head-level, as if to emphasize its location.
"Since this place is where our Creators all hail from, we call it 'The First World', and it mostly remains a mystery to us. The Nine Realms are collectively called 'The Second World', also called by my own Creator as 'Yggdrasil'." She wiggled her other hand, the one at shoulder-level.
The automaton sharply looked to his guild leader, who had a surprised look to the glowing red points he had for eyes.
"That would make this new land we find ourselves in 'The Third World'. If the rumors we've heard about the weakness of this world's residents are to be believed, it should be about here." The hand she held at head-height was lowered to roughly where her waist would be. "We are uncertain if there are any lower worlds."
Both guildmates took a brief moment to process this. "Are these ideas shared amongst your fellow Pleiades?" Momonga asked.
CZ lowered her arms. "This knowledge is common across all of Nazarick's residents, from the lowest maid to the highest floor guardian."
"I was… not aware you were all so interested in such subjects."
"Any knowledge that helps us better serve our Creators is gladly welcomed, including knowledge of the First World." She paused. "May I make a request, my Lords?"
Ra Ra Rasputin eyed her warily. "Depends. What is it?"
"Lord Garnet and Lady Brisingr have briefly mentioned attending a place called 'College'. It was implied to be a place of learning, a place with difficult lessons." She seemed to grow more attentive, though her expression didn't change. "If you could enlighten me on what this aspect of the First World is like, I could use that knowledge to better serve Lord Garnet."
The gunslinger shook his head. "It's not my place to do that. Garnet created you, HE should be the one to tell you about where he's from."
"I have asked him. He seemed uncomfortable about the subject, like he was uncertain if it was acceptable for him to enlighten me on the First World."
Momonga looked off into the distance, seeming troubled. He tapped a finger against his chin as he pondered.
" . . . that's a matter we'll need to discuss at the next Guild Meeting. For the foreseeable future, you can give Garnet my blessing to talk about the 'First World'." He looked at CZ. "However, you aren't to share what he tells you, unless he says otherwise."
She bowed her head. "As you command, Lord Momonga." She looked to the automaton. "Have I answered your question satisfactorily, Lord Ra Ra Rasputin?"
"Of course, my dear," he replied, "Thank you very much. You may rest now."
She nodded once, then her optic dimmed into inactivity. A few moments later, he removed his head coverings, aimed a private messenger at Momonga, and looked at his guild leader with an expression of uncertainty.
"...that is a…I never even THOUGHT about them asking about that."
Momonga shook his head. "Neither did I. I really should have, too. They're aware and sentient now, it would've only been a matter of time before they started questioning our origins."
"How much do we tell them?" Ra Ra Rasputin asked. "Some of them look at us like we're Gods...what would happen if they knew we were human once?"
Momonga stared out the window, seeming just as puzzled by the question as Rasputin did.
"They appear to be absolutely loyal to us. We're still their Creators, nothing will change that. Theoretically, at least." He looked to Rasputin. "I think a full-blown, deep-dive history lesson on our old world might be too much for them."
"Agreed."
"That being said, a full information blackout feels like the wrong approach." Momonga drummed his fingers on his bedside table. "For now, I think getting a snippet here or a fact there won't harm anything… although, I do feel like I'm missing something…"
With a mental growl, he lowered his skull into his gauntleted hands. "I don't know! Ancient One and Punitto were always better at this sort of thing!"
Ra Ra Rasputin patted his guildmate on a pauldron. "It can wait until we're done here. For now, we'll deal with the 'Wise King of the Forest' thing tomorrow. That'll take our minds off the matter."
Momonga lifted his head and nodded, leaning back on the bed, while Ra Ra Rasputin took his place leaning against the window sill that his friend had previously occupied. Comfortable silence reigned, the sounds of Ariel's light snores the only noise to fill the room.
"So...I just remembered I can't actually fall asleep. Got any ideas to pass the time?" Ra Ra Rasputin asked, turning away from the window to sit on the floor instead.
The Overlord tapped his fingers against each other in thought. "I could try and have Amanomahitotsu send over one of those 3-D puzzles he's always so fond of! It would be a delightful way to pass the time."
"Wouldn't he be asleep by this point? It's not exactly a 'young night' anymore."
"Knowing him, he's still working in the forges with Gore. He's kinda a night owl like that."
The gunslinger grunted, crossing his arms as Momonga opened up a new messenger to the mirelurk blacksmith. A few moments passed as Momonga conversed with Amanomahitotsu, before a miniscule [Gate] opened above Momonga's head.
A round object fell out of the wormhole, the disguised guild leader catching it with one hand and tossing it to the automaton in a single motion. A second one fell out an instant later, which Momonga kept to himself.
Ra Ra Rasputin caught it with lightning fast reflexes, intrigued to see that it was composed of smooth, stainless steel, various bars of the same material shoved though it at key points that he could pull on. The bars would click and stop if he didn't pull on them in the right order, and when he did pull on the correct bar, a portion of the sphere popped open for him to twist and slide into a different shape, showing another hole with another bar for him to push and pull.
"Whoever solves this first gets first crack at taking down the 'Wise King of the Forest," Momonga challenged, his scorching pupils lighting.
"You're on!" the gunslinger laughed mentally, already pulling on the puzzle bars with the same energy as his guild leader. It would take them the whole night before there was finally a victor declared.
—-
"I still can't believe you actually beat me at my own game," Momonga groaned, the gravel crunching under his boots as he, Ra Ra Rasputin, Ariel, CZ Delta, and the Sword of Darkness tread a well-worn path.
Ra Ra Rasputin pretended to twirl an imaginary revolver, blowing on nonexistent smoke as Ariel rolled her eyes under her wolf-skull helmet.
The creak, creak, creak of an ancient but sturdy wagon accompanied them, piled high with a mixture of scrolls, rations, spring-loaded traps, and other goods. The late-morning to early-afternoon sun pleasantly warmed the group, though Ra Ra Rasputin felt nothing through his divine level gear. Birds chirped from the occasional standing sycamore tree, while a winding creek burbled nearby. A gentle breeze rustled the dew-laden grass, spreading moisture all across the land.
It was times like this that Ra Ra wished he could take off his mask and feel the wind upon his mechanical form, but as it stood, he could feel naught but the very basics of the body he now had, like that of pressure and slight temperature changes.
However, that didn't mean he couldn't derive enjoyment in other ways. Ra Ra Rasputin could hear grunts of exasperation from behind him, watching over his shoulder as Ninya and Dyne struggled in vain to solve the 3-D puzzles that the guildmates had brought along, stubbornly refusing to put the toys down.
"I. Am. So. Tempted. To. Use. Magic. To. Open. This," Ninya snarled, the young man/boy practically clawing at the seams of the spherical object. He was seated on the wagon, driving the singular horse they had to pull it along.
"You're telling me," Dyne muttered. "I'm still trying to figure out which of these bars is the third in order."
Peter watched quizzically as the puzzle in the druid's hands unfolded itself with each correct pull of the steel bars, only to snap shut when he accidentally pulled the wrong one. Lukrut had no interest in the puzzles at all, or so he claimed, as he continually chatted up CZ Delta.
"You know," the archer started, "I'd be more than happy to show you the wonders of me if you ever chose to leave behind the bachelorette life, Cerise."
"Not interested," CZ said, her emerald green eye slightly twitching.
"Ah! Such straightforward honesty is always a refresher in this day and age! I'll respect your choice, as always, Madam Cerise."
CZ said nothing, but a vein seemed to pop up near her forehead, even if her expression had no true change to it.
Ariel walked behind Lukrut, closer to her guildmates as the archer's attention was focused solely on the automaton for the moment. Ra Ra Rasputin's private messenger pinged.
"How much longer do you think until we actually get to the Forest of Tob? I don't think this is gonna get any less annoying," Ariel said, amused at Lukrut's constant failings to win the pleiade's heart.
The gunslinger shrugged. "I couldn't tell you. Could be another hour or maybe even a whole day. Personally? I'm enjoying the walk though here."
"I thought you said your legs were starting to hurt you from the other day?"
"I was joking. I'm a machine now, yes? Pain seems like a foreign concept when you have tendons of literal steel."
Peter hiked up to Momonga, pulling the map of the forest from his backpack with excitement. "Hey, Mr. Momon! I think we're getting close now. Should be another hour before we start to see the tree line. After that, we can start planning how we want to lure out the Wise King of the Forest."
"Excellent," Momonga said, gripping the hilts of his swords but not unsheathing them. "Are there any other threats we should be aware of, when we get to the forest itself?"
Peter paused as he considered the raven-black warrior's question. "Most we've ever seen are some trolls and goblins, but with the part of the forest we're venturing to, it could be a little more dangerous than what is normal."
"Yeah," Ninya added, "though nothing we can't handle. The Wise King does a pretty good job of defending his territory and keeping it clear of threats. We should be fine."
"How far does the territory of the 'Wise King of the Forest' go, would you say?" Momonga asked.
Ninya scrunched up his face in thought. "From what I remember of the old stories, it seems like almost all of the southern part of the Forest of Tob belongs to the Wise King."
"We'll have a lot of ground to cover, but luckily for us, I came prepared with a little something special," Lukrut said, disengaging from CZ to ruffle through the items in the wagon. He let out an "aha!" when he held in his grasp a vial of yellowish liquid.
"What… is that?" Ariel asked, CZ asking in her stead. Just as Lukrut was about to answer. Ra Ra Rasputin cut him off as he recognized the stench when it hit his olfactory sensors.
"Those are pheromones. Really, REALLY pungent pheromones. Are you trying to get us all killed or raped?"
Though Ra Ra Rasputin knew the Swords of Darkness couldn't hear him, he still asked in a sort of stupefied haze. Momonga realized what the gunslinger was trying to say and phrased it as his own question.
"These are mostly rumors from the adventuring team that went last year, but…supposedly they got a reaction out of the Wise King when they used this." Lukrut explained, gesturing to the bottle as if he were showing off top-shelf perfume. "One whiff'll this will send the Wise King running straight to us, ready to party!"
Every member's reaction was different, but the general consensus among them, even automatons like Ra Ra Rasputin, was that the smell of the pheromones was extremely potent.
Even Momonga seemed affected by the nauseating odor, waving an armored hand in front of where his nose would be. "I don't even want to know how much that cost you, or where you even got it from. I just hope it works."
"On that, I think we can all agree," Peter gagged, holding his nose as he nearly sprinted to lengthen the distance between himself and the bottle. Almost everyone, save for Ninya, followed his example.
The mood relatively returned to normal as the horizon gradually became dotted with trees, blossoming into a fully fledged forest that spanned for miles in nearly every direction, save the one that the Swords of Darkness and the guildmates of Ainz Ooal Gown were facing.
As they approached the forest, the sounds of ambient life created a cacophony of noise, with the snapping of twigs and the growls of prowling predators livening the arboral atmosphere.
"We've finally made it, I think," Peter said, pulling out the map of the Forest of Tob. "If I'm reading this correctly, we're standing directly in front of the southern border."
"Which means it's go time," Momonga said. Every adventurer present got into a semi huddle as Peter squatted to lay the map down on the dry earth, unfurling it to its full size.
"If we're gonna really have the greatest chance of capturing the Wise King of the Forest, then we need to be able to draw it out into the open," Peter said. "We'll give Lukrut's...pheromones a try first, but if that doesn't work, then we'll have to lure it out another way."
"My friends and I will go into the forest ourselves if we have to. I think out of all of us, we stand the greatest chance of being able to handle the 'Wise King'," Ariel said, CZ speaking in her stead to the Swords of Darkness.
They let out gasps of awe and alarm as CZ finished speaking. "Uh, you do realize that this is a Legendary creature we're talking about, right?" Lukrut asked incredulously. "We haven't even seen you guys in action yet!"
"Even still," Dyne intervened, "You must have great confidence in your skills to be able to make a bold statement like that. Are you sure you'd want to go through with it?"
Ra Ra Rasputin slid his revolvers out, spinning them and tossing them up into the air in a show of tricks. He even opened the cylinder of his right revolver to let the bullets fly out, tossing them back in one by one with imperceptible speed and precision.
"I wouldn't worry about us," the gunslinger said, having CZ translate his thoughts. "We'll be in and out in no time. Just make sure you have your fancy traps ready for when it comes after us."
He reholstered his revolvers as the last bullet slid into place, his cloak flapping in the wind behind him as the light caught on the lens of his goggles. Ninya politely clapped.
"Show off," Momonga muttered.
"...Alright, but make sure you at least give the pheromones enough time to work before you barrel off into there," Peter relented, uncorking the bottle.
"We wouldn't have it any other way," Momonga answered, stepping aside to allow the leader of the Swords of Darkness forward. Peter began splashing droplets of the powerful liquid around the base of the trees at the forest's entrance, flecks of yellow staining the once pristine bark.
Once he was satisfied, Peter corked the bottle and went to the wagon, where everyone began to quickly unload the spring-loaded bear traps and pitfalls they had purchased.
The whole affair took only five minutes, which was more than enough time for the pheromones to waft over a good portion of the forest with the strong draft that had picked up.
Another fifteen minutes passed, by Ra Ra Rasputin's estimates, and there wasn't so much as the rustling of bushes deeper in the trees.
"Give it another fifteen minutes," Lukrut assured. "We know it lives pretty deep in the forest, so it might take a bit longer than usual before something happens."
They gave the archer the benefit of the doubt, even allowing another half hour to pass before impatience burrowed itself into their hearts.
Momonga unsheathed his dual broadswords from his back, the twang of the blades eviscerating the tranquility of the forest. He glanced over his shoulder at the Swords of Darkness as he, Ra Ra Rasputin, Ariel, and CZ came up to the entrance.
"It seems your pheromones were a failure, friend Lukrut," Momonga called. "Worry not! We'll venture in and see if we can't drag the beast out ourselves!"
"Remember, we want to try and capture the Wise King alive! Don't do anything fatal unless you absolutely have to," Peter said, worry etching his proud looks.
"We'll be fine," Ariel reassured through the gunho pleiade. "Just make sure you're prepared. We'll be back before you know it."
As they entered the treeline, Ariel's shaman staff glowed with spiritual power, wailing and whispers emanating from its cursed wood. The curled tip had a glowing, blue orb that constantly pulsated with each moment, growing brighter and brighter.
Ra Ra Rasputin's vision took on a safety orange hue as his targeting systems activated, various cross hairs and streams of data lining his optics as he took in the sights of the thick brush. Consistent thermal readings were read out to him as he slid out his revolvers, giving the loaded cylinders a spin as he cocked the hammers back.
Momonga shoved a sword into the ground as he placed two fingers to his ear, most likely calling the eight-edge assassins or some other scouting spawn to aid them in their search.
CZ flanked the guild leader's back, her one optic glowing as the crosshair she had for a pupil seemed to almost project out into the forest. She hefted her sniper rifle as she loaded an entire magazine.
Momonga took his finger off of his messenger, nodding to his teammates. They nodded back at him, all of them stepping as one deeper into the Forest of Tob itself.
Rather than charging deeper into the forest, they walked at a leisurely pace, Ra Ra Rasputin and Ariel sparing a glance at their skeletal friend at his nonchalant nature.
"Uh, shouldn't we be looking, I don't know, a little harder for the oh-so-mighty 'Wise King of the Forest' here?" The automaton asked, the metal ridge plates he had for eyebrows raising.
"Yeah, it seems like you're taking this a little too casually here, even if you summoned some Eight Edge Assassins to help us," Ariel said, her brows furrowing with a groan.
"Actually, I didn't call the Eight Edge Assassins," Momonga admitted, resheathing his swords once they had gone far enough into the forest that they could no longer see the Swords of Darkness.
Ra Ra Rasputin looked at the overlord in surprise. "Wait, so if you didn't call the Eight Edge Assassins, who did you call then?"
His and Ariel's collective question was answered by a thundering laugh, the trees shuddering under the sheer mass of something landing on the upper branches.
A dark shadow tore through the forest canopy, landing with a shockwave of leaves and dust. Already the sunlight caught on something metallic, and three more, much smaller shadows joined the first.
As the dust cloud dissipated, a hulking form slowly rose with a dramatic air, mighty, dragon-like wings flaring out to blow away the rest of the dust that had been thrown up.
He wore the face of the fiercest of lions, his mane a shimmering wheat-yellow that slowly bled into a patch of rigid spines that lined the back of his neck and upper back. His shoulders and arms were powerfully muscled, a fine coat of fur underlined with a natural suit of lapis scales. His hands were five-fingered, each ending in a deadly ivory talon.
His lower half was a groomed, trimmed pair of ram's legs, his cloven hooves digging into the earth with a gusto as if he were about to take off. His scaled, whip-like tail lashed about, topped off with the seething head of a king cobra that dripped venom.
An impressive array of beautiful, glittering jewelry hung off his form, ringlets lining his arms and a necklace like the one that the Pharaohs of old wore adorned his regal body. Smaller plates of hammered gold lined the limbs of his wings, finally ending in a laurel crown in between the horns of a mountain goat.
His eyes burned a fiery orange as he took in the sights of the guildmates in front of him. "So…," the titan growled playfully, "It seems I've caught some wayward travelers all alone in the forest. Whatever shall we do, Aura?"
The diminutive form of Aura Bella Fiore peeked out from behind the beast's legs, her usual vest and suit pants shining as if freshly washed. "I say we put them all in a pot and eat them right up, Lord Mekongawa! I know Sasha and Neagan would be very happy."
The other two arrivals yowled, revealing a pair of nemean lions, their lustrous coats flashed platinum in the hazy sunlight. Whereas they had been on high alert before, the two felines prowled the forest floor before lazily resting against the roots of a nearby tree, licking their paws.
Beast King Mekongawa, the Chimera, raised his chin in thought. "Not a bad idea, my elven friend! But as it seems, these are our dear friends, and not our beloved food."
The chimera shook his head, his jewelry jingling with the movements. His fearsome visage split into a predatory grin as he thrust his hand out, grasping Momonga's forearm in a brotherly grip.
"Good to see you all!" he proclaimed. "I was wondering where the lot of you'd snuck off to, and now it seems my questions have finally been answered."
"We've been off adventuring," Momonga explained. "I hope I didn't bother you when I made the call. Out of everyone I knew of, you were the best for the job."
Aura pouted slightly, crossing her arms.
"And Aura too," Momonga amended, letting out a slightly awkward chuckle as he let go of Mekongawa's arm.
The chimera beast master's laugh was booming, and Ra Ra Rasputin began to slightly worry that their comrades outside of the forest might hear them as they spoke. He gestured to Mekongawa, catching his attention and taping the side of his head.
"Ah, I think Genjiro mentioned this earlier. If I just turn on my private messenger…," Mekongawa muttered, holding two fingers up to his ears.
"Then you'll find out that you're being entirely too loud, and that you need to quiet down," the automaton whisper-shouted over the mental link.
Mekongawa raised an eyebrow, his eyes flickering to Ariel. The fey shaman nodded enthusiastically, pointing to her head as well.
"Well, that answers a second question I had," Mekongawa said.
"Which leads me to my own question; not that I don't mind, but how come Aura is with you and the lions?" Momonga asked, taking off his helmet for a brief moment.
"We were on the sixth floor when your call came in. I needed to let Sasha and Neagan out to play for a bit. They kept tearing up my couch and I felt really, really bad about making the maids sew them back up."
"Really now? And what were you up to on the sixth floor, Aura?"
The elvish girl gave a deferential smile. "I was just spending some time with mom and Mare, Lord Momonga! You know, nothing too special. Just a quick question though: when can I start calling you 'Dad'?"
"E-excuse me?!" Momonga sputtered, metaphorically choking on his own spit as Mekongawa doubled over in boisterous mirth.
Ra Ra Rasputin couldn't laugh, but he could let out blasts of steam and let his gears click in a similar fashion.
Ariel's cheeks bloated, spitting somewhat as she had to turn away.
Even CZ reacted, giving a ghost of a smile and a thumbs-up.
"...in any event, what's this about a 'Wise King of the Forest' you need to catch?" Mekongawa chortled, drawing in some deep breaths to calm himself down.
His question provided the distraction Momonga needed to allow his shimmering green aura to dissipate. His jaw snapped shut as he refocused on his friends.
"We wish to boost our reputations," Momonga said seriously, "and based on what our adventuring comrades told us, it is a Legendary beast. We need your help to catch it."
Mekongawa's wings flapped, stirring up a small whirlwind of dust. "Say no more, old friend! Come, Aura! I may not be Coup De Grace, Ankoro Mocchi Mochi, or Tigris Euphrates, but we'll hunt this 'Wise King' yet!"
Aura saluted in response and clicked her dress shoes together. "Aye aye, sir!"
The nemean lions yawned, showing off canines like daggers as the male, Neagan, lowered itself for Aura to climb on his back. Sasha purred and rubbed against Mekongawa's leg, the chimera briefly scratching her head before launching himself into the air. He leapt from branch to branch, each one snapping as they tried in vain to support his weight.
Just as the new quartet was leaving line of sight, Mekongawa landed on all fours and galloped into the thick brush, roaring happily all the way.
"There's NO WAY that the Swords of Darkness didn't hear that," Ariel commented, taking off her own helmet and resting against a nearby tree.
"I'm surprised the city guard didn't show up already to deal with the noise complaints," Ra Ra Rasputin said, holstering his revolvers.
"I imagine that it may take a bit for Mekongawa and Aura to show back up, so I would advise that we rest here and wait for them," Momonga said, putting his helmet back on but sticking his blades into the moist earth of a tree.
—-
Half an hour later, just as Ra Ra Rasputin went to take off his hat, his thermal HUD lit up, displaying a new heat signature that was rapidly approaching. Four other forms chased after it, and the one in the lead had its heart rate elevated by an astronomical amount.
"I don't think we're gonna have to wait much longer," Ra Ra Rasputin said, the earth trembling with the noises of what sounded like a stuck pig.
The cries got louder and louder, the guildmates springing to position and preparing themselves for the inevitable arrival of their prey.
Entire trees were bent, and some snapped in half entirely as a very plush, plump thing barreled out of the thicket, the wails of anguish and desperation sounding uncomfortably human as they drew closer.
Ra Ra Rasputin raised his revolver, Point, to wound the creature in front of them, but Momonga's gauntlet covered the barrel before he could pull the trigger.
"Wait, I want to see it for myself," Momonga said, forcing Ra Ra Rasputin to lower his weapon. The gunslinger reluctantly complied, gazing upon the wondrous "Wise King of the Forest" he had heard so much about.
If we SERIOUSLY came all this way for...THAT, I may very well just shoot myself.
A slap resonated off of his shoulder, a very offended Ariel signing at him something he didn't understand. Ra Ra Rasputin just shrugged, unable to understand her without the messenger.
The "Wise King of the Forest" stumbled to a stop, blubbering as thick tears rolled down its chubby cheeks. A whip-like tail flared around, similar to Mekongawa's in the way it was scaled, but lacking a cobra's head at the end. It had a robust body, grayish fur on its top side that was split into an even line where white fur began for its belly region.
Its arms were short and stubby, though they still possessed considerable strength with how easily it had shoved aside entire swaths of the forest ahead of it. Its beady eyes looked imploringly at the guildmates ahead of it, even reaching a small paw out to Ariel.
Ariel moved to take its offered appendage, only for Mekongawa to just appear and yank it by the tail. The portly rodent-like creature sobbed, Mekongawa snarled in rarely-seen anger as he held up the portion of the Wise King's tail.
"WHAT," Mekongawa hollered, "THE HELL IS THIS?! This doesn't look like any 'Wise King' to me, just an oversized djungarian hamster!"
The 'Wise King' squealed. Its lips quivered as it, astonishingly, spoke:
"PL-PLEASE! An alpha predator, I know when I see one! Gladly concede my territory I shall, if you don't eat me! PLEASE!"
Mekongawa paused, his fury fading as he considered the "Wise King's" plea. "Dammit, I can't kill this thing. It's just too pathetically cute."
Aura ran up, her eyes positively shining with repressed excitement. "Oh my gosh it's so adorable! Can I keep it, my Lords? Please please please please?!"
The guildmates laughed as Mekongawa clapped the elvish child on the shoulder, his hand nearly engulfing her entire right half of her body.
"I don't see why not. This 'thing' is just about useless for what they want anyway. If your mom is okay with it, I'd say keep it."
The djungarian hamster lookalike timidly raised its head. "Y-you mean food I will not be? Truly, a day to be celebrated."
"...yeah, uh huh, sure. Whatever you say," Mekongawa waved it off, "Momonga, you think you could open a [Gate] and send this guy though? I'm sure that Mare and Buku' will have a use for him."
"A female, I am, actually," the former "Wise King" corrected. "Smelled your pheromones, I did, for they belonged to me. They did not work, for they are meant for males, and males there are not."
"We're just getting all sorts of answers to our questions today," Ra Ra Rasputin said, lifting the brim of his hat with his revolver. "Well, I say send her through. We need a plan B anyways."
Before the gigantic djungarian hamster could say anything else, a nearby [Gate] opened at a spot where Momonga pointed between two trees. Mekongawa dragged the poor creature to the gate, heaving and swinging the former "Wise King" into the portal like a heavy sack. There was a high pitched "eeee!" as she passed though. The portal's closing cut off a screech as she came into contact with the denizens of Nazarick.
"She'll be okay...right?" Ariel asked, shifting from one foot to another.
Momonga shrugged. "I'm sure she'll be fine. Bukubukuchagama and Mare won't kill her on sight, at least."
Mekongawa and Aura nodded sagely. "That's all we can hope for."
Momonga sighed with frustration. "This whole venture was pointless. We spent all this time coming out here to try and capture something that was no more dangerous than a common RAT. Now what are we gonna do?"
They all fell quiet at that, Ra Ra Rasputin's revolver cylinders clicking as he constantly rotated them.
"My Lords, if I may?" CZ said, breaking the silence, "Why not try and have Lord Mekongawa be the 'Wise King of the Forest'? I'm sure that was his original plan when he came by, anyways."
The three original guildmates snapped their heads towards the chimera, who gave them all his signature grin. "I wasn't going to put it out there yet, but who doesn't love a good show, eh?"
"You'd really try to roleplay as the 'Wise King'?" Ariel asked, placing a hand on her hip.
"I don't see why he couldn't," Ra Ra Rasputin cut in, "He's here now, and far more fearsome than whatever that oversized gerbil was. Seems like it would be fun."
"Yeah! We could make a whole play out of it," Aura said, stars in her eyes. "The brave adventurers of Ainz Ooal Gown, coming in and defeating one of the greatest beasts of all time!"
"Well, I don't mean to brag, but…," Mekongawa trailed off, flexing his left bicep and striking a pose. "I'm down if you guys are. We just need a plan." He began to remove his jewelry, hiding it away in his inventory.
"A play, you say?" Momonga muttered, his gaze turning skyward as his thoughts drifted. "Make it a show…"
His fiery eyes snapped back to Aura Bella Fiore with a brand new intensity. "Aura, how do you feel about pretending to be a survivor?"
—-
Peter was beginning to get worried, consistently checking the position of the sun and his own memory of when the new rookies had gone into the forest alone.
Damn it, I knew I shouldn't have let them go. I hope they're okay.
"Any luck, Dyne?" Peter asked, spotting his friend on a nearby hill. He was looking through a medium sized telescope through the thick brush.
"I'm sorry, Peter," Dyne Woodwonder called back. "I've seen no sign of them, and the noises from earlier haven't come up again."
Peter shook his head, finding Lukrut Volve leaning against the trap wagon. Lukrut caught his eye, standing up and walking over to his leader.
"What are you thinking, man?" Lukrut asked casually, but Peter knew better. His lithe form had the same nervous energy of a spring coil, ready to bounce into action if need be. The archer's eyes darted between the tree line and Peter's face, most likely looking for a certain one eyed adventurer.
"I'm thinking about how I should've told those rookies to stay. I'm thinking about how I could've possibly gotten them killed because I was trusting. I knew we should have gone with them," Peter confessed, clenching his hands.
A petite hand landed on Peter's shoulder, the familiar face of Ninya greeting him.
"I wouldn't worry about it," the spellcaster said, "They said they would be alright, and it's not like we heard them screaming or anything, right?"
"That's hardly comforting, but I suppose you're right," the warrior said, giving his friend a tight smile. "Even still, I feel like at least one of them would've come back by now. I think maybe it's time we-"
"HELP! SOMEBODY, HELP ME!"
The voice of a young child pierced the glade, stopping the Swords of Darkness in their tracks. Without hesitation they sprung into action, each of them spreading out and taking defensive positions. Peter sword's shone with the light of his martial arts, activating each under his breath before pointing his blade towards the forest's edge.
One moment passed. Then another.
All was quiet, too quiet. Even the birds had stopped chirping. Even the very breeze, which had a presence since they got there nearly an hour ago, had ceased.
Finally, the sounds of tree trunks groaning could be heard off in the distance, before several loud crashes echoed throughout the plain. Peter's grip on his weapon tightened as a small child, a girl from the looks of her, darted towards them. Her hair was cut tomboyishingly short, barefooted and wearing nothing but rags. As she fled towards the Swords of Darkness, Peter recognised the trademark signs of ash and soot on her face.
The young girl leapt into Peter's arms, sobbing as she buried her head into the warrior's neck. Peter instinctively wrapped his arms around the weeping child, whispering some comforting things into her ear. He allowed his sword to drop and sink into the earth.
When the girl finally dug her face out of Peter's shoulder, a fresh wave of fat, hot tears rolled down her plump cheeks.
"Pl-please! He got my w-whole family! He burned down my h-house, and then h-he got my brothers and sisters and my mommy and my daddy and I don't know what-"
Peter gently clasped the little girl's hands, her trembling translating to his own. "Woah, woah! You gotta slow down there, kiddo. Take a deep breath and tell me what happened. You wouldn't have happened to see any other people who, well, didn't look quite like us but had some odd clothing?"
Before the child could answer, a deafening roar split the air, crashing down upon them all like thunder in a storm. Peter's eyes narrowed, his team flanking him with their own looks of determination. Peter picked his sword back up, his heart pounding as the tree line shook with the force of something gigantic tearing through the thicket.
Relief swept through Peter when he saw Momon, Roger, Aria, and Cerise booking it past the entrance, and he even allowed his sword to slightly lower.
It shot back up when he realized that such heavily-armored adventurer's should NOT be running away like they were.
"INCOMING!" Momon bellowed, the tree line exploding as the trunks of oaks and acacia came raining down upon them.
Ninya sprang into action, her staff glowing with mana as a small force field enveloped them all. Through the shower of broken branches and shredded leaves, Peter's eyes widened as he made out the silhouette of…something titanic.
BY THE SIX...we've made a terrible mistake.
Another ROAR rang out, the soundwaves literally blowing away the debris around the beast's arrival. Momon and his team made it to Ninya's forcefield, each of them scuffed and with their respective weapons out. They were out of breath, and their previously noble postures sagged with the weight of their gear.
Peter's teammates gasped as they caught sight of the target, who Peter could safely assume was the Wise King of the Forest, only for his jaw to drop as the creature stood up on its hind legs to show off its mighty form.
It was heavily muscled, and stood head & shoulders over even Momon, if he guessed correctly, and Momon himself was easily seven feet tall. Its eyes glowed like baleful orange stars, a mane of spines and scales surrounding its proud visage. The wings of a dragon spread from its back, leading down to a thick, whip-like tail.
To Peter's dread, that tail ended in the head of a strange, hooded serpent that bared its fangs, practically drooling steaming venom onto the earth. Its lower half was shaggy like a mountain goat's, cloven hooves pawing the dirt. A pair of horns sat on the 'King's' head, and underneath its fur coat Peter could make out the scales of some other reptile.
The monster roared again, belching a stream of fire that could be felt from even where Peter and Momon's teams could be standing. That was nearly a hundred feet or more.
"...is that him?" Lukrut asked, uncharacteristically quiet.
Momon nodded his head in affirmation. "I believe so, it was chasing after that child you have there. It took all of our strength to hold him back."
"Then it's a good thing you have back up," Peter declared, his teammates grunting in affirmation.
But Peter's stalwart resolution shattered when the creature's roaring turned into laughter.
When he swiveled to look the rest of his teammates in the eye, they had similarly aghast expressions.
"So," the beast began, further destroying Peter's confidence. "I see new hunters have stumbled into this den of mine. How...quaint."
The "Wise King's" voice rattled through Peter's bones, but still bore the inflection of one born to absolute royalty. His very gait and swagger as he strode forth to meet them even reflected this.
No, Peter thought, this isn't just a Wise King. What we're looking at...is a Wise God.
The "Wise God" pointed an accusing finger at all of them. "You stroll through MY territory, interrupt MY daily hunt for meat, and then have the GALL to lead me out here, where unworthy eyes may gaze upon my beautiful form!? For that, little morsels, you will PAY."
"We'll-We'll put a stop to you," Dyne yelled back, fighting a stutter. "We have come to capture you, oh noble Wise King! We have no wish to shed any more blood, and we would gladly compensate you for your time!"
The Wise God gained a smug look. "Oh ho? Capture is not entirely possible, little morsels, for I am the Alpha, the apex predator of this land. There are none greater than I! Besides, you're entirely too late…"
The creature spread its arms, flexing its muscles and allowing claws like scimitars to flash out. Its face split into the most horrific, toothy grin.
"The Wise King of the Forest...is DEAD."