Deep in the bowels of the Forest of Chaos, where the ferns reached shoulder height and the air smelled of dampness and old wood, two figures blurred through the trees with inhuman agility.
Veron, a man with sharp facial features and ash-colored hair, ran ahead, holding his hand outstretched.
Around his fingers coiled ghostly, silvery threads that pulsed rhythmically - flaring with bright light only to nearly vanish a second later.
"Arthur passed this way about two hours ago," Veron tossed out curtly, without slowing his pace.
Trailing right behind him was Paul, a barrel-chested man in leather armor, with a heavy halberd and a sword slung across his back.
His face was covered in a network of fine scars, and his eyes constantly scanned the thicket.
"I'd really love to have his powers," Paul sighed, leaping over a protruding root. "To be able to use various artifacts continuously like that without the risk of immediate madness... It's almost cheating."
Veron snorted disdainfully, his threads flickering again to indicate the direction.
"Do you want to live for the Order of the Golden Gear? Be one of those fanatics?"
Paul winced visibly at the mere thought of their rigorous rules and almost mechanical hierarchy.
"No, but just think... Such powerful and useful puzzles for the whole world fell into their hands, and they don't even want to share their creations with the rest of humanity. They keep it all under lock and key, as if the rest of the world isn't worthy of their technology."
"Left!" Veron interrupted him as one of the threads jerked violently, pulling him toward a dense thicket.
"And remember, our goal is to capture him alive. No reckless moves."
Paul grit his teeth, an expression of distaste appearing on his face.
"Why exactly are we supposed to capture this poor old man? Arthur Vance just wanted to lead a quiet life away from all these power games. It's just unfair."
Veron snorted again, louder this time.
"Paul, your job isn't to think about justice; it's to follow orders. Headquarters itself sent this directive. You know well that the Captain doesn't like it either, but the Order of the Dark Star cannot afford to sour relations with the Order of the Golden Gear. We are more dependent on them than we'd like to admit."
"Headquarters..." Paul practically spat the word. "They only speak up when they need something. Remember a year ago? During the raid on those Blue Moon lunatics? When we begged for support because the situation was spiraling out of control, no one from Headquarters showed up."
Veron stopped for a split second, casting a heavy look at his companion, then moved on with even greater determination.
"I'm telling you: do not question orders from above. Do you think I or the Captain like them? We are tools, Paul. Tools do not discuss the morality of their craftsman."
A heavy, tension-filled silence fell, broken only by the snap of breaking branches beneath their feet. Veron glanced at his companion and, seeing his clenched jaw, softened slightly.
"Come on. Let's finish this job as quickly as possible before this forest spits out something worse at us than a guilty conscience."
With those words, both accelerated, vanishing into the dark depths of the Forest of Chaos.
***
Another day of exhausting travel through the Forest of Chaos had passed. As the sun hid behind the horizon, Lilith's squad made camp in the depths of the forest.
The scent of roasted meat hung in the air - Lilith had earlier hunted a powerful, six-legged tuskbeast, whose carcass now lay nearby, slowly casting a long shadow in the light of the campfire.
Bungo, exhausted from riding the werewolf, lay on his fluffy pillow - which he had lugged with him the entire way - and snored so loudly he drowned out the crackling of the wood. Lilith gave a crooked smile, then shifted her gaze to Throk.
The young goblin was sinking his teeth into a massive, roasted leg of the monster with improbable zeal, tearing chunks of meat from the bone.
"Bungo," Lilith said quietly.
Despite the snoring, his instinct kicked in immediately. Bungo jerked up from his pillow, blinking disoriented, then straightened like a string.
"Yes? Beautiful Lady?" he gasped, wiping drool from the corner of his mouth.
"What exactly is this city we are heading to?" Lilith asked with interest.
Bungo scratched his head, summoning memories.
"Eeee... Its official name is the Silver Starforger. It's a truly massive city carved into the very heart of the mountain!"
"Hooo, inside a mountain?" Lilith raised her eyebrows, trying to imagine it.
Bungo nodded enthusiastically.
"Yes! The city was built in a network of gigantic, natural caves that the dwarves remodeled into an architectural wonder. It's home not just to them, but to many races. You can meet human traders there, and even peaceful and beautiful Fox-girls."
Humans...? Lilith thought.
"Their ruler, Thorgard Iron-Song, is called the King of the Perpetual Forge," Bungo continued with pride.
"He is generally respected. He is a just dwarf."
Lilith remained silent, chewing over the information about the presence of humans in the city. Throk, seeing her pensive, stopped eating.
"Mistress Lilith?"
The Monarch woke from her trance and looked at her hands, then at her demonic features.
"Will they even let someone like me in there?" she asked, indicating her form.
"There's no reason to worry!" Throk assured her, smiling broadly.
"The Silver Starforger is a neutral merchant city. The King strictly forbade all fighting on its territory. Anyone who has gold or goods to exchange is welcome, as long as they obey the law."
"I see," Lilith murmured.
"And all of that is thanks to the massive combat strength of this nation," Throk added in a more serious tone.
"Their dwarven army, the Steel Echo Guard, has remained undefeated for decades. No one in the Forest of Chaos is able to root them out of this territory. Apparently, the city has stood there for over a thousand years..."
"Existing for over a thousand years in this hell? Impressive," Lilith admitted.
No one in their right mind wants to make a king with such a powerful army their enemy. Inwardly, she added
I must be careful.
Then Bungo, wanting to be helpful, chimed in: "Except recently there have been certain difficulties getting into… "
"There won't be any difficulties!" Throk interrupted him violently, sending him a warning look and a forced, foolish smile.
Lilith looked at them both askance, narrowing her eyes.
I think they just signaled coming trouble to me... she thought cynically.
Throk, feeling the weight of her gaze, quickly grabbed another leg from the fire and held it out to her.
"Oh, Great Mistress! Just look at how wonderfully it's roasted! A true feast!"
***
Early the next morning, Lilith and her scouting party set off on the rest of their journey.
Over the next two days, they had to cross the territory of Gloommire, where treacherous bogs and muddy quagmires stretched out.
The place teemed with leeches, spiders, and other disgusting creatures, so Lilith, feeling revulsion, preferred to soar into the air and fly over the vapors, while the goblins on the werewolves sped through the mud below.
After the swamps, a crossing through the Steel Echo Mountains awaited them, full of high and jagged peaks.
Finally, after four days of difficult travel, they reached their destination: the city of Silver Starforger.
"Do you really only want to take Bungo with you, Mistress?" Throk asked, looking uncertainly at the massive gate set into the rock.
"Yes. We won't draw unnecessary attention that way, and Bungo will show me the way," Lilith answered, adjusting her equipment.
"But..." Throk began, but Bungo cut him off with a silly, confident smile.
"We'll manage!"
Varg also wanted to add something, but Lilith had already turned her back to them and waved her hand carelessly.
"We'll be back soon. Wait for us here."
"Please watch out for yourself!" Throk and Varg called after her.
The entrance to the city was impressive - it was a massive cave carved into the mountainside, into which monumental stone defensive walls were built. Long yellow-and-red banners fluttered above the heavy iron gate, and three short dwarven guards with broad shoulders and smiling faces guarded the entrance.
A long queue of newcomers wound before the entrance. An extraordinary diversity prevailed here: one could spot humans in simple traveling cloaks, merchants lugging great backpacks stuffed with goods, and even beings with animalistic features like cat ears or tails. Some held books, others baskets full of herbs, and everyone moved forward patiently, step by step, toward the cave.
Lilith in her demonic form, with Bungo at her side, calmly approached the very end of the line.
"Quite a large queue. They must check everyone thoroughly before they enter the cave," she remarked, eyeing the massive construction of the gate.
Bungo nodded fervently.
"Yes, but after entering, you can move around quite freely."
Lilith nodded and prepared for a long wait, when suddenly the peace was shattered by someone's arrogant, screeching voice:
"HEY, HEY, HEY! What are some disgusting, green monsters looking for here?!"
She turned slowly, her eyes narrowing dangerously, searching for the source of those words.