Book1, Volume 6

Chapter 61

Wylla stretched, looking up to the sky, noticing that more time than planned had gone by but it had been worth it. She felt that she now had a very good grasp on her new Druwytch spells and her main combat spellcaster style of DOT'ing, CC'ing, and then pew-pewing her foes to death as she fluttered about the battlefield.

A smile lit her face as she recalled the last match in which she finally defeated all of her rank 1 elite foes and the large spidoll mini-boss; The key to which was using the trees and earth flora pillars she created as cover while dotting and blasting away the mini-boss' health since it was too big to easily move around in such terrain.

It had been a long-drawn-out battle of attrition with many close calls, but in the end, she emerged the victor!

“Yup, winning isn't just about strength but strategy as well,” Wylla muttered to herself as she rose to her feet and searched her surroundings for her lovelies. “Hmm... did they forget to return or maybe get lost or find trouble? Or maybe because I took so long they left to continue exploring? If so... how do I find them?”

[ That's easy Wylla... they're 'bonded' to you so just close your eyes and feel which direction they're in. ;) ]

“Ah, Anari! It feels like we haven't spoken in such a long time. I've really missed you!” Wylla said in sudden realization as she looked up into the sky imagining that that was where Anari lived, somewhere up above. “Where have you been?”

[ I've been busy preparing something... something so very special that I can't talk about. But Eva and I are very excited about it.

Anyways, looks like you'll be leaving the starter area soon, once you find the way out that is. I'm so very happy for you Wylla! You've grown so much, and have accomplished so many feats you should be proud of.

You even made another new top 20 rated video while I was gone titled Scaredy Fish; It's of you atop Tundri's Sylgarden wagon form.

I'm actually a little teary-eyed, knowing that this will be one of the last times we'll be able to talk with each other like this.

After all, once you leave this place you'll no longer be a newbie needing my guidance. And as such, it'll be time for you to venture forth on your own like the newly born ranker you now are! Yay! ]

“Huh? What do you mean we won't be able to talk?” Wylla asked, her eyes becoming watery and a hollow emptiness opening within her chest. “But... but didn't you say we were... sisters? So you can't just leave me like that... can you?”

[ Don't be sad Wylla. It will all work out the way it's meant to in the end. You just have to have faith. You'll see... until then just close your eyes and search with your heart and you'll find your family.

Well, that's about it, gotta run since I have many more things that need doing so... Ta-Ta for now! ;) ]

“Anari?... Anari?...” I guess she really left... me. Wylla's head hung low, her hands wiping her eyes as she softly breathed in and out, focusing on clearing her mind and heart of such thoughts.

No, she'll be back... I just need to have faith like she said! Until then, let's focus on finding my cuties. Wylla squeezed her eyes shut and focused within, feeling the connections she had with Tundri and Ceri; The connections which pulled her to face towards the Makai Forest.

“Ah, it looks like they remembered that I wanted to visit the spriggankin village one last time before searching for the way out. Yes, since that's the case time to fly!” Wylla took off, rushing towards the Makai Forest, orchid wings fluttering and feet pattering.

Wylla wended her way through the forest, feeling her connection to her cuties getting stronger and stronger as she continued to head straight towards the village. Yes! Looks like I was right... they are in the village waiting for me.

The sound of woodwind, string, and percussion instruments filled the air with lively music as Wylla neared the village. This music was soon accompanied by the delicious scents of tasty foods and the sounds of jubilation, guiding her towards the heart of the village.

Wylla slowed to a walk, parting the shrubs before her, and stepping into the happy scene. In great spirit, her eyes darted about, searching for her cuties amongst the spriggankin dancing around the cheery bonfire and those eating amongst the various food stalls.

To her left was the wonderful shrine dedicated to her divine mother Sylvenori. And to the right of the shrine, located in the middle of the road was her Tundri in his Sylgarden Wagon form.

But what really grabbed her attention was not the Spriggankin happily lounging in the garden up top the wagon, nor the Old Raven sitting on a rocking chair on Tundri's front porch to the left side of the open door in which Lunori stood as Tundri's masked face looked down from above...

No, what really caught Wylla's attention was the very young little blue-haired ghostrose witch that sat in what looked like an oversized rocking chair (due to her small size) cutely smiling and laughing on the other side of the porch with a happily tootling Ceri by her side and two young serpris (which looked an awful lot like Ceri's siblings) on her little lap.

“Ah, did my cuties kidnap a little loli witch?” Wylla stood there for a while in confused wonder, unsure of what to make of this situation, not noticing when or how a certain bunny masked spriggankin popped up by her side, taking her hand and leading the way through the wonderful celebration towards her Tundri.

Tundri was the first to spot her (well, first after Lunroi that is) as he 'Wah-Wah'd' causing Ceri's eyes to dart about, spotting her with a welcoming tootle-tu.

Ceri then flew to Wylla and began to excitedly tootle to her about her and Tundri's amazing adventure. Nuzzling her, and then flying off back to Nyra's side as the little witch gently put the little serpris aside, slid off the rocking chair, and stood before her looking unsure of what to do next as she rubbed her hands together.

Wylla walked up to the little witch, a smile on her face as she knelt down, looked the little witch in the eyes and gently patted her head while saying “Hello Nyra! It's so very nice to meet you. Ceri has told me so much about you. Thank you for being her friend and watching out for her. I hope you'll be my friend as well!”

Little Nyra lit up, nodding her head as Wylla gave her a great big comforting hug. “Ahahaha, That makes me very happy Nyra! I hope you enjoy your time with us.”

Lots of zoo-like sounds came fluttering out of Tundri's open-door causing Wylla to pull her eyes away from Nyra and to stare into Tundri. Her mouth slowly opened into an 'O' as the scene within made her eyes widened.

Tundri's masked face then came down from above on the end of his long leafy neck as he encouraged Wylla to enter and have a look around to see all the hard work he and Ceri have been up too.

Wylla reached out with her hand, giving Tundri a gentle pat before she turned to her teacher, the old raven to give her a heartfelt greeting, and then with Lunori on one side and little Nyra on the other she entered her new... petting zoo?

“Ah, where did they all come from? And how? How did the two of you manage to get them to all not only come with you but to get along with each other?” Such questions leaked out of Wylla's mouth as she stared in amazement at the scene before her.

Flying up above was a colorful range of flying beasties chirping, hooting, and tootling with one another. Some of which were even sitting atop the slowly spinning blades of the large Lampryn Spinlyng ceiling fans.

While below, pattering across the hardwood floors was a plethora of fluffy two-legged, four-legged, and even three and six-legged beasties that Wylla had yet to see. She felt like she was in 'mofu-mofu heaven'.

And mingling amongst them all was well over a dozen spriggankin; Some were seated in the living room playing games with sticks, some seated at the dining room table eating tasty snacks, and others in the kitchen cooking up a feast as other spriggankin would gather the newly made dishes upon earth flora trays and carry them through doorways on the sides of the kitchen.

Doorways which Wylla was quite sure hadn't been there before. As well as the beautiful shrine of ethereal ghostroses which climbed up the right corner of the kitchen into the ceiling above setting the area aglow with soft blueish white light.

“When did all this happen? I mean, I was only in my dojo for half a day or so... right? And just where do those doorways lead too?” Wylla asked, looking from a bright-eyed Ceri to a happily 'trombone-ing' Tundri.

“Okay, if you say so, I'll go have a look.” Wylla wended her way through her new petting zoo, 'mofuing' cute fluffy beasties and happily greeting spriggankin along the way as Ceri, Nyra, and Lunori followed closely behind.

Reaching the doorway near the sweet-scented ghostroses, she stared in wide-eyed wonder at the scene before her. Sprawling before her was a huge magic forest teeming with life, scents, and sounds contained within towering curved wooden walls and ceilings resembling the hull of an ancient wooden ship.

Her eyes went from the scene before her to Ceri and Tundri and then back again... before once again looking at her cuties and asking, “How did all of this happen?” Gesturing all around her with her hands.

Tundri 'Wha'd' and Ceri 'tootled' in a rush of sounds as they began to recount what had happened the moment she 'went' into her dojo.

“The Goddess Sylvenori gave you what?” Wylla asked.

Tundri's trombone voice responded as a quest infobox popped up in front of Wylla's eyes:

[ Ceri and Tundri's Great Sylgarden Wagon Ark Adventure Quest: The Goddess Sylvenori has seen and recognized your many wonderful talents, offering you the quest of ferrying her Havenscent creations to the magical world of Abrynth.

By accepting this quest, you promise to collect willing passengers and gather a wide variety of flora to carry them into the new green lands of the eternally oryn infused Aetheria Forest.

There your passengers and flora will find places that they can call home! Adding to the life and splendor of Abrynth.

And in order to aid you in this quest, you will be given a powerful blessing that will last until the completion of the quest.

P.S. A great reward awaits your success... ]

Wylla gulped as she read the P.S. in the quest's description. She then looked to and from Ceri and Tundri and said, “That's wonderful! I'm so happy for both of you. You have my full support, just let me know if there's anything I can do to help.”

Tundri 'Wah'd' guiding Wylla to the pantry where he pointed out all the new seeds, herbs, and flora that he and Ceri had gathered.

Wylla walked in to look around, happy to find that the cubby boxes along the back wall of the pantry all had etchings of the flora and seeds contained within each cubby sized drawer on their front panels making it easy to find what one was looking for.

And one of those items that happened to catch her eyes was the etching of a Skunktail Reed bringing to mind a certain alchemy recipe that she was sure would be helpful. “Tundri, later tonight, before going to bed I'll need your help for a while in the kitchen to make a certain alchemy potion... hmm... or rather weapon.”

Tundri immediately agreed to help as Ceri jumped in with a tootle, asking Wylla to follow her to the... restroom on the other side of the kitchen. Which confused Wylla because she couldn't figure out why Ceri would want to go there together.

Following her, Wylla crossed the kitchen, pausing for a moment as she spotted a certain sapling tree by the corner; A smile lit her face as her eyes identified the young Tuttle Tree.

Ceri waited by the bathroom door, eagerly waiting for Wylla to finish inspecting her sapling tree.

Done with the inspection, Wylla walked over, looked at Ceri as she gestured towards the door with her head.

Ceri nodded. So Wylla opened the door and froze mid-step before entering, a soft yelp slipping from her mouth as she saw the floor, toilet, sink counter, and shower covered with colorful slow-moving creepy fuzzy caterpillar-like... slugs?

Ceri 'tootled' beside her in laughter as she flew into the bathroom, giving her a playful wink which caused Wylla to join in on the laughter.

“I see... so my little Ceri likes... to give fun little surprises,” Wylla said smiling. Since that's the case, I'll be sure to give you a certain little box that you can wind as it plays music for you!

“Still, just what are these creepy cute things you've filled the restroom with?” Wylla's eyes glowed as an infobox popped up:

[ Slirmes are peaceful beasties that are known as the cleaners of the world. They feed on the bodily wastes of mortals and beasts (as well as on flora containing such wastes) turning it into equal parts life-sustaining energy and high-grade fertilizer pellets so I think you can see just how useful such creepy cute beasties can be.

Please note that while Slirmes reproduce quickly, they are also on the menu of many beasties (especially those of the feathery persuasion) that keep their numbers in check. ]

“Oh wow, these little colorful beasties will be very useful... especially if there are no sewers where we're going,” Wylla muttered to herself as a thought sprouted in her mind. Yup, I bet these little guys, along with my Tuttle Pills, would sell well earning me lots of Lyrs. Well, at least at the start. After that, they'll probably over-reproduce killing the market but still, there's plenty of money to be made until that happens. Wylla finished her thoughts with a nod.

She then gave Ceri a quick hug, took a look around and decided to go hunting for the way out of this starting zone tomorrow “For tonight we celebrate!” Wylla cheered as she joined her friends and left to enjoy the still going victory festival celebration.

The sun went down and the moon came up. Colorful Lampryns lit the night as the party continued until the witching hour.

Wylla yawned and stretched, finishing her alchemy as Tundri put away their porcu skunktail bombs. Wylla cleaned up, sent her bloodrose cauldron back into her Unity Trinity Core, and wended her way to the living room where several spriggankin and beasties were sleeping on her couches.

Looking around, Wylla noticed that the red door leading out of the wagon had vanished. Guess Tundri shifted back to his flora yeti form? I wonder why? And doesn't he need sleep like the rest of us? As Wylla was pondering whether or not Tundri actually needed sleep or not, his masked face came down from above as he 'Wah'd' to the ready for bed Wylla.

“Ah, so you're going to continue working on the quest and gather night flora and beasties... but what about sleep?” Wylla asked with concern in her eyes as she moved out of the way of the helping serpenvine hands that were gently moving the furniture aside and preparing her large soft king-sized bed.

Tundri tilted his masked face and let her know that since he was like an Elemental of Nature (and a rare one at that) sleep was not needed. He was constantly rejuvenated by the energy all around him.

“Ah, I'm a bit envious of you but also happy knowing that you're in good health. And that you'll be our guardian angel, watching over us whenever we sleep.” Wylla nuzzled the side of Tundri's masked face.

She then turned and made her way onto her waiting bed, Tundri's face retreating up into the ceiling and disappearing from sight as the lights dimmed way down.

Ceri tootled as she raced through the air from the large ark expansion room, where she had been playing with little Nyra and her family, landing in Wylla's open arms.

Wylla's head then hit her soft fluffy pillow and just as she closed her eyes to drift off into dreamland, she heard the patter of many footsteps, quickly followed by the soft vibrations of movements all around her.

She then felt an arm drape over her side from behind her as a body pressed up against her backside and felt another arm touching hers that was snuggling Ceri.

Opening her eyes, she was surprised to find herself surrounded and in the middle of a... slumber party sandwich?

For right in front of her also snuggling with Ceri on the other side was Nyra; A happy smile on her closed-eyed face. Turning to look behind her, was a happy Lunori, using her as a body pillow.

And surrounding them all, were lots of cute fluffy beasties and birds. Ah, I hope they're all potty trained! Wylla thought to herself as she drifted off to sleep.