[Jaegal Forest, Elven Territory, 34 miles from Lunia]
Greem looked at the blue panel next to his ring.
[Green Star Mission - Luminous Deer Capture
Acolyte Hwan Steel, one of the relative of Angus Steel, leader of the Black Crow Party, rumoured to be the strongest within the Association, made a request to the Association. As a dwarf with nature elemental affinity, he decided to use his funds to acquire a magical beast and attempt to contract it. However, nature elemental beast are relatively rare, much less living ones.
Willem's knowledge of the area proposed to capture a Luminous deer, one of the weakest magical beast in the Jaegal forest, which can be found in its outskirts, limiting odds of encountering elven druids or ents.
Task: Capture a non-adult nature-elemental magical beast of beginner rank (0 / 1)
Rewards: 50 EXP for each member of the Blood Bat Party, 20 Magical Crystals, Reputation in the Black Widow Association]
It was a relatively easy mission, but many had failed or given up before he attempted it. After all, tracking a beginner rank beast was never easy, much less finding an infant one without killing it. Most infant beginner rank beasts were protected by herds or hidden deep in magical territory.
In the Jaegal forest, a simple encounter with an elder Ent could spell doom for a regular party of beginner rank acolytes.
But for the Blood Bat Party, this was a simple mission, one Greem had picked up to train Carla, his sister.
Greem crouched low behind a thicket, his shadow affinity blending him into the darkness.
Beside him, Willem's crimson eyes scanned the forest floor, his bat, Moe, perched silently on his shoulder.
Vanessa, her once-vibrant red hair now a dull gray, stood with her arms crossed, her newfound strength evident in the way she held herself.
And then there was Clara, her hands trembling slightly as she clutched a leather-bound tome—one of the many Greem had given her.
She was a far cry from the decorative merchant heiress she had once been. Now, she wore practical leathers, her eyes sharp with focus, though her movements still lacked the fluid confidence of a seasoned acolyte. Greem used her cover as a 'depressed widow' to take her out on a stroll outside of Lunia, hiring Vanessa as a guard. A perfect cover for this two-weeks-long mission.
The target? A luminous deer, a creature revered in elven lore for its ability to channel light itself. Its antlers glowed with an ethereal radiance, casting soft, shifting patterns on the forest floor like living constellations. Its coat shimmered like liquid silver, and its eyes held the depth of starlight, wise and ancient. But for all its beauty, the luminous deer was no easy prey. It was fast, agile, and its magic could blind or disorient those who weren't careful.
Greem held up a hand, signaling for silence. The deer stood at the center of the clearing, its antlers pulsing softly with light. It seemed almost aware of their presence, its ears twitching as it sniffed the air. Clara's fingers tightened around the tome, her breath shallow. She had practiced the spell a dozen times in the past month, but this was the first time she would use it in the field.
[Luminous Fawn (Young Deer) - Lv. 2 Beginner rank Magical Beast]
Willem glanced at her, then at Greem, his expression unreadable.
"You sure about this?", he murmured, "Beginner rank or not, that thing can blind us all if we're not careful. Your sister is untrained"
Greem didn't take his eyes off the deer. "Clara's got this"
Clara swallowed hard, then nodded. She stepped forward, her movements careful, and began to chant. The words of the spell flowed from her lips, her voice steady despite the tension. The air around her crackled with energy, and a bolt of lightning formed in her palm, its blue-white light casting sharp shadows on her face.
The deer's head snapped up, its glowing eyes locking onto her. It let out a high, melodic call—almost like a warning—and turned to flee. Almost instantly, movement across the forest could be felt. It seemed like its cry had alerted its family.
"Now!" Greem barked.
Clara released the spell. The lightning bolt streaked across the clearing, striking the deer square in the flank. The creature staggered, its legs buckling as the stunning effect of the spell took hold. It collapsed onto its side, its luminous antlers dimming slightly as it struggled to rise. Clearly, it had not expected Clara to be able to cast a spell.
A magical beast was strong and intelligent. But this was no luminous deer. It was a fawn, probably only a few months old. It lacked experience, and probably lacked proficiency in its innate spell [Light].
Once the spell reached it, the capture was only a matter of seconds.
Vanessa let out a low whistle. "Damn. That was clean."
Willem's eyes narrowed, his surprise evident: "That's [Lightning Bolt]. A fairly complex spell. You taught her that for self-defense?"
Greem's lips curled into a thin smile, pride evident that someone of his family was seen as talented: "She's a quick learner."
Willem's gaze lingered on Clara, then flicked back to Greem, skepticism in his voice: "Sure thing...self-defense..."
Clara, still catching her breath, didn't notice the exchange. She was too focused on the deer, which was now twitching weakly, its glow flickering like a dying candle. She took a step forward, but Greem held out an arm, stopping her.
"Let me", he said, stepping past her. He approached the deer cautiously, his [Shadow Hand] wrapping around it like a second skin, draining it of its energy. Not enough to kill it, but enough to put it down like the strongest of aenesthesia.
The creature tried to struggle at first. But a few seconds later, it dropped on the ground.
Greem knelt beside it, pulling a small, enchanted rope from his belt. With practiced ease, he bound the deer's legs, then its antlers, careful not to harm it. The creature let out a soft, resigned chirp, its glowing eyes dimming further as it accepted its capture.
Vanessa moved forward, kneeling to inspect the deer.
"Almost uninjured", she said, running a hand along its silver coat, "The acolyte who requested it will be pleased. With this, the Black Crow Party will owe us..."
Willem crouched beside her, his bat chirping softly: "Angus is a trustworthy fellow. I see why you insisted on taking on this request. It was good training for your sister indeed"
Clara finally joined them, her hands still trembling slightly. She looked down at the deer, its glow now a soft pulse, like a heartbeat: "It's… beautiful", she murmured.
Greem nodded: "It is. But beauty doesn't pay the bills. Or settle debts. It will probably suffer a horrible fate until it is subdued by acolyte Hwan"
Willem let out a dry chuckle. "Spoken like a true acolyte"
Vanessa smirked, heaving the deer onto her shoulders with ease: "Let's get this thing back to the rendezvous point. I could use a drink"
Clara felt a bit uneasy, but she no longer was the innocent girl she used to be. Greem showed her the association more than once. The "responsibility" they had. The crimes they committed to grow stronger. The atrocities that were considered ingenious in the organisation.
Compared to this, subduing a fawn was...light-hearted.
Greem noticed her hesitation and paused, turning back to her.
"You did well", he said, his voice quiet, "But don't get cocky. Magic isn't just about power. It's about control"
Clara nodded, clutching the tome tighter: "I know. I'll keep practicing"
Greem gave her a small, approving nod, then turned back to the path ahead. The forest was dark, but the Blood Bats moved through it like shadows, their steps sure and silent. The line between their missions and their personal lives had long since blurred.
Their return was uneventful.
Yet...far from them, a pair of eyes showed resentment...
"Those damn vampires...did they ally with humans?", the shadow spoke in elven language