Chapter 67: Chapter 67: The Epilogue (of Book 1 Part 2/3)

Book 1, The End

Chapter 67

[ Sorry, you are unable to log out while in combat. ]

“Huh? Combat? Who's in com...”

“WAH!” “TOOTLE-TU!” “PAH-ROOOO!”

Wylla whipped around, instinctually switching to butterfly form as her wings sprouted from her back and a pair of ethereal antennae grew from her forehead. Her wand materialized in her hand as her glowing eyes scanned towards the sounds of growling and strange cloaked... humans(?) shouting out commands to... “capture that little beauty! Don't let her escape! She'll be perfect in a maid outfit!”

That's when she spotted them... packs of rank 2 wolves pouring out of the tree line.

One of which caught her eyes due to the graceful feline movements of its body; Wylla's focus causing an infobox to appear:

[ Very Young Female Lykoi - an extremely rare magical wolfcat beast found within wolfpacks. These beautiful beasts have thick fluffy wolf-patterned coats of fur covering their graceful pantherish bodies. Their wolf ears have excellent hearing, their eyes can see through shadows, and their nose at the end of their wolfcat maws have a great sense of smell.

Beware, Lykoi's attack using claws, powerful bone-breaking bites, and magic! Rank 2, Tier 3, Level 4 ]

Not good. Rank 2 packs of wolves headed our way. And Rank 3 cloaked... freaks lurking in the tree line, that seems to be after me with very bad intentions, controlling these beasts by the sounds of it... We need to go on the defensive and figure a way out!

“Tundri you're on defense and crowd control; Walls to block and vines to bind! Cover the ground in entangling foliage... And let them have the smell of our trump card!

Ceri, give use some Spore Cover and rain down DOTS. Be sure to stay aware of the unexpected and keep an eye on your surroundings.

Yabi, stay close to Tundri...”

“Pah-ROOO!”

“No worries, we got this!” Wylla shouted out commands as the ground before her burst up forming walls; She then leaned over the side of the rising wall and released a trio of dark fiery phoenixes into the packs of growling wolves running their way.

That was soon followed by a Goddess blessed Tundri, now running in cheat mode, raising a fortress of pillars and walls while landscaping the battlefield in prickly entangling foliage greatly slowing the charging wolves as they yelped out in surprise and pain.

“What's happening? Weren't they just rank 1 weaklings? How did they put up a... a fort so fast? Are you sure your eyes saw right Vandle? Because this ain't the action of rank 1 weaklings!”

“I'm sure I saw what I saw! My eyes ain't gone bad yet Aker. Maybe it's just that little beauty has some kind of powerful talisman on her. One that lets her call up a fort of earth and plants...”

“That does make sense, after all with her looks, I'm sure there's someone making sure she has ways to keep safe... but if so, then why'd they let her come out here in the middle of the forest at night... all alone?”

“Frell if I know, could be for some kind of training or other. Either way, it don't matter none since we can jus' ask her once we 'ave her all tied up and captured for Boss like he done commanded...”

“Kiln's right! Now stop your bickering and bring that girl to me before I get angry and use one of my sigils on your things, making them wither and die!”

“Ugh, what's that stench!?! Smells worse than rotting zombies...”

“I don't know, but it came from over those blasted walls they're all shivering behind. Vandle, send up the garrows, we need eyes in the sky. Everyone, tear down those walls and get me my... slave maid!” The cloaked rank 4 ritualist commanded.

Not wanting to have their 'thing' withered, the 3 beast-callers left the safety of the tree line, stepping towards the raging green battlefield misted over with spores and began targeting the earth flora pillars and walls with their shadow blood arrows and beasts as the sounds of leathery bat-like wings flapping announced the arrival of the garrows.

“Tootle-tu!” Ceri cried out in warning, just after having finished unleashing a cloud of spores onto a small group of timber wolves that were seeking to get around the foliage and follow the river to attack them from behind.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The earth flora wall in front of Wylla shook under a barrage of oryn fueled arrows; Crumbling to the ground as a trio as garrows saw their opening and swooped down, sharp dagger claws spread wide.

“Pah-roo!” Yabi cried out, as she left the safety of Tundri's side and charged to Wylla's aid. “Pah-roomph!” Yabi's little shaggy body was sent rolling on the sandy ground as a sepia hued timber wolf barreled into her side, headfirst.

“Yabi!” Wylla shouted, coming up from her dodging shoulder roll as the garrows swooped past her... a dark fiery phoenix went flying, slamming into the side of the pouncing timber wolf mid-air, sending him crashing into the ground with a burning yelp!

The wolf hit the ground as Yabi got to her feet, and then with a stomp of 6 stumpy legs, charged... “Ar-woomph!” The still-burning wolf cried out as it was sent flying into the river, sinking under the water to be carried away by the fast-moving currents. Yabi may be newly sprouted but she was born to be a guardian after all!

Wolfen eyes took in the scene... Now was their chance!

With a howl, their clawed paws dug into the ground, sending up small sprays of dirt and foliage as they finally broke through the thorny green defense and rushed towards the green-haired sweet-scented winged girl who was busy sending dark flaming phoenixes towards the crafty and cruel gangly Garrows swooping down from above.

With her packmates beside her, they jumped! Landing on the little girl who shrieked on impact, blanketing her in a pile of fur, fangs, and claws!

Angry Wahs, Tootles, and Pah-ROOs cried out!

Humph! What does it matter that they cried out in anger? It was too late, for this little girl would soon fill the pack's rarely fed bellies! The young Lykoi thought as she sent a claw swipe towards the little girl's body beneath her... KRSH! Huh? Something was off. That wasn't the sound of soft flesh tearing. And the little girl... she wasn't so little anymore.

A powerful bladed tipped tail rose up into the air through the pile of fur and fangs and claws, soon joined by a pair of Serpris vines as the angry trio swayed for a moment before unleashing... PAIN!

The sounds of bone aching BAMs! And needle piercing SLSH filled the air as Dire Syldrake Wylla rose up off the ground, her powerful spear a whirl of motion, sending the vicious wolf pack flying!

The Lykoi sailed through the air, landing hard on the ground with a yelp near Nyra! Who came rushing out of Tundri, along with all the others as soon as they saw the situation Wylla and her fluffy angels were in.

Nyra turned her head towards the sound of the yelp, eyes wide as the battered and bruised Lykoi rose to her feet; Shaking her head to clear her pain addled mind, the Lykoi looked up, spotting the cute ghostly-blue haired loli witch. Easy Prey!

Gathering the dark shadowy energy within her graceful feline body, her soft thick coat of Wolfen fur alive with the majestic patterns of her pack, the young Lykoi jumped into the... ground?

Disappearing from sight, slipping through dark shadows toward the cute flowery loli witch who was nervously looking left and right, ethereal blue eyes searching below as the sounds of battle rained down from above; Where Ceri and her team of fluffy buzzing Furbees and flocks of flying plant beasts began their assault on the now badly outnumbered garrows.

The loud sounds of battle continued to rage all around as a shadow rippled in front of Nyra, opening; The young Lykoi's sleek graceful body came pouncing out towards her, greatly startling Nyra to cause her to jump back in fright, becoming ethereal like a ghost, and with a flicker, she disappeared to move through the ghostly Netherworld realm, leaving a cold thorny ghostrose bush behind in her place as she reappeared safely by Tundri's side!

As for the young, injured and confused, Lykoi, she yelped out in further pain as she landed in the middle of that ghostrose bush! Their cold thorny vines snaked around their easy prey, wrapping around her thrashing body, piercing her flesh, sending chilling poison into her blood.

Loud haunting wailing assaulted her mind and heart with a sense of great dread as the world darkened into the mournings black. Body cold and shivering, the young Lykoi fell onto the ground, unconscious...

The cloaked leader's green eyes jolted about the battlefield from under his hood. “How? How in the frell did this happen!?!”

One moment, they were finishing crossing the river and had just entered the tree line of the beautiful magic forest, bordering the river, heading back to their lair after their long arduous expedition into the long-forgotten ruins, to retrieve the all too important 'package' that was safely tucked into the dark messenger bag, shoulder strapped across his body, that cost the lives of over half his team; When suddenly, they heard a most enchanting voice and musical calls behind them.

Turning, he gulped as he saw a beauty unparalleled... a beauty who looked, moved, and sounded like the embodiment of nature! A little Goddess of the Forest.

And she was standing right there in front of him, on the sandy riverbank, for the taking!

After all, what threat could that large tree-like garden yeti with all those soft glowing 'lanterns' pose? And the small shaggy six-legged mammoth, while small and fluffy, was about as scary as the little serpentine beastie circling above.

She was surrounded by nothing but little rank 1 weaklings!

And with such a weak-looking group... how could he resist taking this beauty for himself, dressing her up in a cute little slave maid outfit, and having her serve him?... He'd be the envy of others!

He just couldn't wait to see that green look on their faces as she entered the room, dusted his shelves, and served him his food and drinks. Ah, such healing... And after everything he had gone through to achieve the mission's success, wasn't this his... just reward? For why else would such a prize appear out here in the middle of nowhere.

“The little beauty is mine, make sure you don't hurt her... permanently. As for the others, toss them in the river for all I care!” The raspy voice commanded. Ahahaha... This is going to be... too easy! He thought to himself. After all, he was a rank 4 ritualist and his three companions were all rank 3 Beastcallers.

Two of which controlled packs of rank 2 wolves and the other a flock of rank 2 garrows.

Nasty things garrows were, crafty and cruel.

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Their dark gangly bat-winged harpy-like bodies were covered in bone tight leathery skin. A lone crooked horn grew out of the center of their elongated, cylindrical heads, covered in long pointy porcu-quill hair. Oily pairs of eyes and wide beakish maws full of needle teeth completed their goosebump-inducing looks.

These cunning beasts enjoyed swooping down from above, to bleed their foes with claws and bladed tail whips while they were busy looking the other way.

He almost felt sorry for the cute beasties accompanying his soon to be loli slave maid... almost.

But then things went horribly, horribly wrong as walls and pillars of earth covered in flora rose up from the ground forming a fortress-like structure in a near blink of the eye.

Every time one of the walls and pillars were destroyed, two would rise up to take its place! And much too much entangling foliage sprouted up from the ground. No matter how many AOE spells he chanted to clear them, they just kept... growing. (For how could he know that Tundri's magic was currently enhanced by the power of the Goddess's Blessing?)

But then it got stranger because out of nowhere, tides of beasts made of plants started to emerge and attack the beast-callers and their beasts, on the ground and in the air.

Heck, there was even a trio of flowery flying piranha-like fish swimming about the air, targeting any and all foes with their needle teeth mouths. And even when you killed one, another would rise up from the fortress to take its place.

Just what kind of magical fortress was that!

Yet, that wasn't the end of the strangeness, for there was soon a small army made up entirely of a menagerie of two-legged wooden masked plant people attacking in formations with spears, shields, and slings.

Quite a few of which sent bursts of magic streaking their way.

And to make matters worse, whenever one of them was too hurt to fight, be it beast or 'maskface', they'd fall back and run behind one of the fort's walls, only to return a short while later... fully healed!

So here he now was, nearly all alone, unable to figure out how something that should have been a simple cakewalk in the forest turned into such a nightmarish clusterfrell with most of the wolves and garrows now dead on the ground; The surviving ones readying to flee because their beast calling masters had all been grabbed, one after the other, by their legs by sneaky vine snakes, and pulled behind the walls to be seen no more.

Shaking his head in utter confusion and anger, he turned, and ran with everything he had; Dodging through the hail of flying stone bullets, crying out in pain as something wet and fiery exploded into the back of his shoulder, which began to eat away at his cloak and armor... as well as the strap of his dark messenger bag...

“Tch! It looks like that creep got away, but the victory belongs to us all! Way to go team Havenscent!” Wylla cheered as the others joined her.

A happy little Nyra made her way to the unconscious Lykoi, knelt down, and began to pet her, feeling the beast's bones beneath her beautiful pelt.

Poor thing, seems no one ever fed you... Eee, she's still breathing! Nyra rose to her feet, looking down, face scrunched in thought, and then smiling as she decided something and called upon Tundri to help carry the young fallen Lykoi inside.

She soon followed after with a bottle of Medylixr in her hand. Once she wakes I'll feed her lots of meaty Elkshrooms... I'm sure she'll love it. And then this extremely rare, beautiful fluffy, magical wolfcat will be all mine!

(Seems she's learned a thing or two from Wylla and her fluffy sidekicks already! ;)

Meanwhile, everyone cleaned up the battlefield as Tundri, seeing something smoldering on the forest's ground went to see what it was because he didn't want the forest to set on fire.

Looking down, he saw a dark messenger bag near a shrub; Its burnt through strap still smoldering from Wylla's Noctis flames. Putting out the flame with his water, he lifted the pouch and then put it away in one of the tall cubbies in his wagon's mudroom.

Done, he returned to the riverbank. It seemed everyone was ready to return to the ark and continue on their journey to find a new place to call home.

“All aboard who's coming aboard the S.S. Tundri Express!” Wylla called out playfully as beasts and spriggankin happily climbed up the short flight of steps onto the porch, and began entering the wide-open red door returning to the wonderful Sylgarden Wagon Ark world within.

Once 'everyone' was inside and ready to go, Wylla breathed in deeply, and thought for a bit; Hmm, it should be safe now since the baddies are all gone... well except for one. But he won't be back anytime soon, so now is as good a time as any to Logout... Yosh, let's do it then... before I think about it too much... “Okay, Ceri, Yabi, and Tundri. I'll be going for a little bit...”

“Tootle-tu-too?” Ceri asked.

“Yes, this time for sure. But I'll be back very, very soon okay. I promise. All the baddies are gone, so just wait for me in the hidden cave, safe and sound and I'll be back... in a blink of an eye! Okay.”

Smiling and in control of her emotions, Wylla nuzzled each one of her cuties, and then summoned her Druwytch Grimoire and quickly located the Logout button. Then with a quick breath, pushed the button.

A magic circle then flared up beneath her feet, pulsing with energy. The light got brighter and brighter and then... vanished from sight! “Oh for Frell's sake!” Wylla grumbled aloud. “I'm trapped in the long neverending ending version of The Return of the King movie!?!” Sigh, as she once again found herself still in Abrynth, after pressing the Logout button... with yet another infobox all up in her face!

[ Sorry, you may not logout out at this time due to the following divine quest: Ceri and Tundri's Great Sylgarden Wagon Ark Adventure. The quest must be completed before leaving the World of Abrynth and returning to your world. ]

Returning to my world? When have I ever left? “Anyways, fine... just fine. It looks like we have a... a place to call home to find so let's go my cuties.” Wylla said, leading the way as her cuties did their best to hide their laughing... and failing miserably.

“Well, it's probably for the best anyways,” Wylla said as she thought about tonight's events, of how Yabi's life may have ended, and since she wasn't Wylla's familiar yet... that death would have been final.

“Ah, I think... no, I know it's best to make her my familiar before I Logout for real next time. Just in case she's still moving around 'here' while I'm gone. After all, with how realistic this game is, I wouldn't doubt that being the case.

As such, if Yabi...” (gulp) dies when I'm gone I won't be able to see her again. But if she dies while being my familiar, then she'll simply respawn in my core.

“Yup, I'm definitely going to perform that Familiar Ritual once we find the new place for the Spriggankin Village.”

“Plus, I can show Nyra how it's done... so that's two stones with one bird!... I think...” Nodding to herself, they marched on for 3 nights and 2 days. Following the river as the AutoMap showed that they were still headed in the right direction, towards the small starter city of Elmrise.

Hmm, that's quite a long way down. Wylla thought to herself, looking down the cliff's edge that they came upon, as the river roared over the edge, falling down with a thunderous crash upon the rocks below.

“Well, looks like the only way forward is down.”

Ceri tootled in agreement, flying over the edge with a haughty yet playful look in her eyes as Wylla recounted how they got here...

Once they left the area of their battle, they found that for the most part, they were safe despite the fact that most of the beasts in this area were rank 3, with the occasional rank 4 mixed in, and traveling alone or in pairs.

The oryn energy in this part of the forest was also quite thick and rich so it was no surprise that it would attract higher-ranked beasts.

But, any time one of those beasts sought to attack them during the day, Wylla and team fluffy would easily defeat the beasts or drive them away. After all, whenever a fight was too hard, the army of Havenscent would come rushing out and send those bad beasties running away with their tails between their legs!

And at night, when the beasts were more aggressive and active in their search for food, Wylla and Ceri and Yabi were safe and sound within Tundri; Eating dinner and cooking up Tutt-Tutt and Tuttle Pills because she found that now that she was no longer in the starter zone, her body began behaving the way that bodies ought to do.

And as such, the Tuttle Pills and Tuttle Leafs and moving most of the Slirmes out of the bathroom became a top priority. As for her experience of using the restroom for the first time as a girl, well... somethings are better left to the imagination.

But what I will say is... this experience reinforced in her the idea that her Tutt-Tutt and Tuttle Pills were worth their weight in gold and that each Tuttle Tree they were carrying was like the goose that lays golden eggs.

Meanwhile, while Wylla was dealing with the stress of new experiences and comfortably sleeping in a big soft bed with fluffy friends, Tundri was continuing their journey alone with his lotus fish scouts.

And whenever a beast or more were foolish enough to think of making a meal out of him, they would be in for a very rude... and smelly awakening!

For Tundri would use his Green Thumb and Gardenheart skills, empowered by the Goddess's quest blessing, to grow earth flora walls in a V-shape with the foes at the open mouth end; Then he'd sprout tall Skunktail Reeds to block their path to him. Followed by a well placed Jade Spinlyng Flower that would then spin its fan-like petals, blowing a cloud of stench into the faces of the attacking beasties.

Sending them crying (and retching) back into the forest! Regardless of their rank.

He really did get quite the chuckle over doing so.

So now here they were, atop the cliff looking down at the sandy riverbank about 3 stories below.

“Yup, let's do it like that then,” Wylla muttered to herself as she finished formulating a plan in her head. And turned to Ceri, “Okay Ceri, your time to shine...”

Ceri nodded her head and tootled; A silvery-blue crescent moon then appeared above Wylla as a beam of lunar light fell onto her shoulder, sending chilling energy through her body, and greatly lightening her weight.

Smiling, Wylla stepped off the cliff and gently began to fall as her orchid butterfly wings sprouted from her back and flapped rhythmically, guiding her descent.

A cheery 'Wah' came down from above her as she looked up and behind to see a certainly adorable teddy yeti gently floating down, trailing her with a dozen or so lantern 'balloons' attached to his garden. Ah, I think I'll watch that movie again when I get back...

“Pah-roo!” Yabi sang out, stepping off the ledge as Ceri flew in circles around her before gently landing on her soft fluffy back and guiding her safely down.

And with everyone safe and sound on the ground, they started off once again.