The shadowflame.
A monochrome feline beast shrouded by flames of black and white. This creature is strictly native to The Wilds. They typically reside near the southern border, where the climate is much warmer. They are rarely seen in temperate climates.
Since the Wall has been erected, seeing a shadowflame in its natural habitat is nigh impossible, factoring in the Red Death. The shadowflame is as dangerous as the Red Death itself; these territorial creatures have adapted themselves to emit a noise that incapacitates elves within seconds.
They emit an ear-splitting roar. If allowed to continue this auditory assault, our sensitive hearing will eventually cause us to lose consciousness, wherein they will consume their victim alive once incapacitated.
Although they are beautiful creatures, they are unmistakably dangerous. Thankfully, the odds of running into one in the modern era are improbable.
Excerpt from Kreatures of Keceo, A Brilliant Bestiary
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An explosion of ten thousand fireworks blocked out the sun momentarily. The party covered their eyes, trying not to be blinded.
"Holy shit, we're fucking dead, the Red Death is coming!"
Teddy curled into a ball, disappearing in the brush.
Leo shielded his eyes.
"A little bit extra, but I suppose that's the signal to return."
"I certainly hope that was the sig…" A large bug entered Astrin's vision. She dove for the arachnid. In a panic, it tried to scurry away. Leo reached out for her, but it was too late. "A-ha!"
She held the bug in her closed hands. When she revealed the insect, its fangs were deeply embedded in her skin.
"Oh… that's not good."
She immediately collapsed.
Leo pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Not again…" He picked up the unconscious body of his sister as the insect hid in the brush. "I'm not going to wake her until we get back." He looked at her unconscious body. "This is why I can't take you anywhere."
He complained in a hushed whisper.
"She seems like a handful," Gwyn said.
"You have no idea."
Teddy held the broken remnants of his staff and frowned.
"I'm so annoyed, man. I just got this big freakin' stick!"
"Can't you fix it with magic?" Gwyn inquired.
Teddy shook his head.
"Can't fix catalysts with magic."
"Can't make them with magic either," Leo seconded. "But apparently a God can make one, which is…"
"Interesting…"
Gwyn inspected the ring on her finger. The vines that now adorned the ring seemed to move very slowly on their own. It was kind of creepy.
The firework display lingered in the sky, a multicolored stain, guiding all the students back to safety.
Myria looked admiringly towards the sky.
"Do you think if I were in the middle of that explosion, it would've given me the sweet release I crave?"
Gwyn gave her a concerned look.
"You get used to her," Leo said. "It's all a joke." He hesitated a moment, adjusting his unconscious sister's position in his arms. "We hope."
Teddy was desperately trying to part the tall grass of the wilds and getting more pissed off by the second.
"I swear to the Gods!" He looked towards Leo. "Can you carry me as well?"
He held out his arms as though he were a child waiting to be picked up by their mother.
"Teddy…" Leo looked impatient. "I'm not carrying you. You're a grown adult."
"But!" A piece of grass whacked him in the face. "I can't cast my flying spell without my catalysssssssssssst," Teddy whined.
He would've pleaded on his knees if it hadn't caused him to vanish in the brush completely.
"The answer is no, Teddy."
Teddy looked towards Myria. She gave him her patented death stare. Then his eyes fell on Gwyn.
She waved her hands, as if to say, "No thanks."
But Teddy was persistent; he tugged Gwyn's robes.
"I don't weigh that muuuuuch."
"Fine."
The group stopped in surprise.
"Wait, really?" They all said at the same time.
"Sure," Gwyn shrugged. "What's the worst that could happen?"
The party traveled another thirty miles… wait… no. It was only a few hundred feet. Gwyn felt like it had been thirty miles. The Chosen One was heaving, gasping for air, and pretty sure she was about to die.
"Why… do… you… weigh… so… much…?"
Gwyn trudged forward, one step after the other. It was the only thing keeping her sane.
"We're almost there!"
Teddy pointed forward, riding his mount with a renewed vigor.
"Gentle… hills… my… ass…"
"Sorry about that," Leo said, looking sad. "I thought it would make you feel better if…"
Last time I do something nice. Ever.
"It's fine!"
Gwyn collapsed to the ground whenever they made it back to the rest of the class. She was pretty sure she swallowed something she wasn't supposed to on the way down.
"Thanks, Gwyn!" Teddy dismounted her, patting her gently. "You're the best."
Professor Pinto looked pleased after a few more students came funneling in. The Dyads descended from the sky and stood beside him.
"That appears to be everyone, sir," Venni said.
"Perfect! Welcome back, Class. Did everyone have fun?"
He received an unenthusiastic response, but Gwyn raised a shaky thumb from the brush below.
"Fantastic! I hope you saw something that made you so excited that you are dying to replicate it!" He twirled his moustache. "I, for one, saw some lovely flowers. They smelled absolutely divine."
The class began to walk away, hungry after a long afternoon of exploring The Wilds.
"Now wait just a moment!" He shouted. "I am a teacher, which means I have to tell you what you are doing before you get to do it."
The class looked bored, tempted to continue onward without his permission.
Professor Pinto tapped his foot.
"Okay, now we can go back to the school."
Again, the class didn't respond as Professor Pinto wanted, not even a hint of excitement. Elven teenagers, or were they young adults? It doesn't matter. Utterly defeated, he simply said.
"Whatever, just go."
The class followed in a mostly orderly fashion, with the Dyads retaking the lead. Gwyn's new friends continued onward without her, being driven by their hunger and exhaustion.
Gwyn struggled from the brush and dusted off the pollen that accumulated on her body. A hand on her shoulder caused her to stop.
"Hey."
Gwyn went to turn her head, but a fist met her face before she got a good look at who it was. Gwyn saw stars as she held her nose. Trying to look up, but her glasses fell from her face.
"This is me being nice," Anastasia said as she stood over Gwyn. She leaned down until they were face-to-face. "I can make your life a living nightmare."
Tears welled up in Gwyn's eyes. Her face stung.
"What the fuck is your problem?"
"My problem?" She scoffed. "You are the one with a problem, sticking your nose in things you know nothing about."
Gwyn patted the tall grass, found her glasses, and put them on. She had no idea what Anastasia was referring to.
"Look, you don't have—"
Gwyn was pulled to her feet, and her bloody nose was healed. But the pain of her blow remained. A group of students approached her.
Leo must have woken up Astrin, because she was the first to approach.
"Are you okay, Gwyn?"
The Chosen One looked around, and Anastasia was nowhere to be seen.
"Yeah, I'm fine just… Anastasia just punched me in the nose."
"What?!" Astrin exclaimed. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, just…"
"She's a psycho, I told you," Myria said matter-of-factly.
"We will watch you like a lightfeather!" Astrin proclaimed. "Teddy."
He saluted.
"Yes, ma'am?"
"Watch over our new Chosen One, make sure Anastasia doesn't get the drop on her."
Teddy started to drool.
"I could watch her all day."
Astrin grimaced.
"Not like that!"
Gwyn laughed as she rubbed her nose.
"I'll be fine, guys, I can handle myself."
Leo looked unsure.
"Anastasia is on a whole other level, Gwyn. As much as we would like for her to be dead, it's nearly impossible to touch her. It was mostly fantastical thinking earlier."
"She's just an elf, what's the big deal?"
"Not just an elf." Leo adjusted his glasses. "She is the daughter of Archimedes."
This realization sparked a fear in Gwynevere Grim.
Archimedes, the man who seemed to be leading the Meeting of the Chosen. The man who thoroughly embarrassed her in front of thousands of elves. Made a display of her weakness.
That man who is regarded as the strongest mage in all of Keceo also has a daughter, and his daughter hates Gwyn.
Does she hate me because of my feelings for Artero?
The walk back was much duller than their adventure; the party tried to cheer Gwyn up, but she was absolutely crestfallen.
As if Gwyn didn't have enough enemies. She had to go and make the daughter of Archimedes pissed off as well. Before everyone realized, they returned to Kaldere Academy, had lunch, and finished the rest of class.
Gwyn was pretty much ruminating the entire time about her new adversary.
A loud ringing startled the Chosen One. It was the bell to be dismissed from class. Gwyn was made aware earlier that she hadn't actually needed to participate in the project and that she was only required to attend today's field trip.
She stood from her normal-sized desk and walked towards the door, where a hooded figure grabbed her by the arm. They held a small red box, bound with a bow. Gwyn instinctively flinched, expecting Anastasia to punch her again. When her eyes lifted, they met lavender.
"Elise?"