Ivory had already made her journey to the far western edge of Bea Lardi. Through the meadow and into the dreadful swamps of Qeshor, she traveled towards the Occultist class master. While Zayd and Milly had completed their ventures, Ivory’s had only just begun. 

 

Ivory had spent the night prior, camping out at the border of Bea Lardi before fully traversing the swamps. Camping out in Qeshor was something to avoid at all costs. The land was filled with a number of hostile creatures with almost every bit of wildlife being a carnivore. Just about every creature within wanted to turn Ivory into their next meal. She would need to remain vigilant the entire time she journeyed through such a place.

 

Qeshor was not an unfamiliar place to Ivory. During her younger years and long before she took up adventuring, she had traveled with her family and friends to the region. The swampy lands may be a desolate place but deep within the swamp, it is said that one can find a tree that blossoms the most beautiful flower in the world. It is said that within this flower, are some of the strongest healing qualities known to mankind. 

 

As Ivory traversed through the dark and destitute region, she carefully kept watch around her. Werebeasts frequently traveled these lands and were usually always found in packs. While one or two might be possible to fend off, Ivory knew she stood no chance against more than that as they would simply tear her to shreds.

 

Ivory walked along a hardened, rocky path. The land itself consisted of a dark grayish and green rocky surface. Tones of violet were mixed throughout, making the land appear sickly and diseased. Surrounding her on both sides were shallow pools of thick and muggy water that made it look tainted. 

 

While Ivory continued her stroll, several bubbles formed within the large mass of black pool. The bubbles slowly began to trace along the top of the water, making their way towards her. Ivory had already taken notice and readied her rapier and tome, having already prepared a spell. 

 

Soon the bubbles made their way towards the edge of the water, slowly revealing themselves as they came onto dry land. Several large and gray slugs slowly crawled towards her, their long stalky eyes slowly waving around.

 

“Swamp slugs!” Ivory muttered. “I knew it.”

 

Ivory lifted her tome in the air and chanted the words Darkness. A shroud of black aura began to fill the air around the slugs, encapsulating them in it. 

 

The slugs filled the air with a putrid odor as they squealed in pain from the aura. Ivory took off in a dash as the already slow slugs began to come to an absolute crawl.

 

“That should keep them busy for a while,” Ivory whispered. “Now to find this damn hut. It’s gotta be around here somewhere.”

 

Ivory desperately searched around her in all directions. The area was filled with swampy waters and dead trees but no hut to speak of. She recalled her journeys through the lands many years ago. While her memory was faded, it still remained. Deep within the swamps of Qeshor lived more than just one class master. Though there was only one she sought after, Ivory remembered the tales spun of the land. As a matter of fact, several class masters are said to reside within it. However, finding one of the huts was not enough. Ivory would need to locate the right one if she were to receive the proper training. 

 

Ivory sprinted along the rocky path as another bubble began to form in the distance. Soon more and more would appear and begin to drag along the surface of the water. Ivory knew well what they were. More slugs were approaching, intent on feeding off her. A few slugs by themselves is not much of a challenge but if enough of them banded together, they could swarm her and block her escape. With nowhere to run, the slugs would wrap themselves around her and release their digestive enzymes on her, allowing them to consume her while she still breathed. 

 

It was a horrible way to die so Ivory made it very clear that it was not the way she would be going out. “Doom Particles!” 

A dozen tiny black orbs formed around a few of the bubbles. Ivory swiped her rapier in the air as another crawled out from the water. While the black orbs shattered against the bubbles, destroying the slugs within, her rapier sliced through another. 

 

Just as Ivory took one out, another bubble was already forming in the distance. More and more slugs began to flock to the area as not much food existed elsewhere. Seeing a lone adventurer wandering through Qeshor was a rare sight and one that was most welcomed to the wildlife within the region. 

 

Ivory was able to flee from the area, making her way into parts of the region where there was less swamp and more dead trees. A graveyard like forest sprung up from the ground here, with dead trees scattered all through. Crows and vultures shared the branches, waiting for a possible meal to just fall out before them so they could feast upon its flesh. While they were merely scavengers, Ivory would still need to be careful. If she appeared weak enough, they could swarm her and easily pick her off. 

 

Ivory glared back at the birds as they watched her intensely. An uneasy feeling began to wave over her as she observed the area. The trees appeared grim and frightening. They began to slowly sway back and forth in the light wind. 

 

Suddenly, Ivory could hear the faint sounds of footsteps behind her. She turned around to see a few terrifying and mangy looking wolves steadily following her.

 

“Oh no…,” Ivory whispered. “Bog Wolves!”

 

Ivory waved her rapier, sending a flurry of occult magic at the wolves shortly before taking off in a sprint. The beasts chased after her, pursuing her with great intent. As Ivory had taken note of before, everything within this region had wanted to make a meal out of her. Her journey would not be an easy one.

 

“I hope Zayd and Milly don’t have this much trouble on their class advancement!” Ivory said. “Perhaps we should have traveled together after all…”

 

The bog wolves continued chasing after her, slowly closing the gap between them. Ivory was forced to launch more spells in an attempt to hinder them. One after another, her Dark Arrows shot back towards the beasts. Four wolves in total pursued her. 

 

Smack!

 

One of the Dark Arrows made a direct hit on one of the wolves. It went flying back as it had leapt through the air during the collision. The wolf behind it, went tumbling back as the two clashed into each other. 

 

Ivory smiled but it was short-lived as another one of her Dark Arrows went whizzing by another wolf, barely missing its target. The wolves dodged left and right, out of the way of her spells. Where two had been struck by something, the other two continued onwards. 

 

Even with Ivory’s successful strike, the two wolves affected managed to quickly brush it off and begin pursuing her again. Ivory was stunned to turn around and see all of them chasing after her again. Her eyes lit up with shock as two of them were just barely within reach of her. 

 

Ivory sliced her rapier across the air, slashing two of them across the face. Ivory quickly turned back and sped up her pace. She looked up ahead and could notice a small hut in the distance. 

 

“A class master!” Ivory shouted. “I just hope that’s the right one!” 

 

The lone adventurer ran with a full burst of speed, putting everything she had into it. As the wolves continued their pursuit, she launched several more spells back at them. 

 

“Gloom Bolts!” Ivory yelled out as the black projectiles shot back and collided with two of the wolves. “Black Orb!” 

A massive black ball projected towards the other two bog wolves, claiming them with its chaotic power. The wolves howled into the night sky as they watched their meal slip from their grasp. Ivory fled from the area while the wolves lay wounded from the attacks. 

 

Ivory grinned as she came closer and closer to the edge of the dead forest. The sight of the hut became clearer to her as she approached it. She could still hear the howling of the bog wolves behind her, wailing from the loss of their snack.

 

However, just as Ivory escaped one predator, she quickly began to fall into the arms of another. As she attempted to flee from the dead forest, one of the trees leaned over and reached out towards her. Its dry, cracked limbs grabbed ahold of her, stopping her in her tracks.

 

Ivory turned around in horror as the tree appeared to come alive, forming a hollow set of eyes and mouth. The tree opened them and began to moan at her.

 

“Huuuumaaaan fooooood!” The tree bellowed at her. 

 

Ivory screamed as she turned to see the bog wolves, slowly beginning to be dragged towards the trees around them. She cried out as the trees began to devour the wolves one by one. Every tree around her seemingly began to move and come alive.

 

Ivory slashed away at the limbs with her rapier but they were far too rigid for her to cut through. She screamed as the tree steadily continued to pull her in closer to it. It opened its mouth wider, groaning as it prepared to devour the poor adventurer. Ivory kicked and hollered all she wanted but it appeared to be futile as none of her attempts could slow the pace of the creature. Ivory was staring into the face of death.