The right branch descends into reed-choked lowland, where enormous impressions continue beyond the road and vanish into brown water. Kerachole’s green dome follows the three travelers beneath the rain.
The Wandering Swordsman
The trail is fresh. Whatever made these marks left the road willingly, and it is heavy enough to break through ground this soft.
The wandering swordsman crouches beside broken reeds, broad shoulders tense beneath his dark cloak. He traces the bent stalks without touching the mud, following their direction into the flooded fen.
The Young Spearman
Blood. On the trunk, just above the splintering. It is bright beneath the rain, and the wound cannot be old.
The young spearman points toward a shattered tree where red streaks mark the pale wood. Beyond it, brown water bulges once, then settles among the reeds.
The Wandering Swordsman
Stay close. Healer, watch the water and the reeds. If it is wounded, it may strike from cover rather than show itself.
A deep, dragging disturbance travels through the marsh ahead. Reeds fold in a widening line, while the rain and Kerachole’s soft hum conceal the creature’s exact position.
✓ Quest Accepted
Protect the expedition party from the wounded predator
“*I glanced back at the swordsman in slight annoyance, appalled by his suggestion.* "Are you jesting? If the creature is wounded, then it would be of higher priority to strike now while it recovers!" Eukrasian PrognosiS. *The Nouliths pointed upwards and fired a light blue beam. The beams collided against each other, creating a ring that shimmered as it fell back down, creating a crystalline barrier for each individual in the party.*”
SUCCESS (Legendary Defensive barriers, rolled +0)
Sonoda glances back at the wandering swordsman with sharp annoyance, her white horns angling toward him as the marsh disturbance continues ahead.
Sonoda
Are you jesting? If the creature is wounded, then it is a higher priority to strike now while it recovers!
Her four Nouliths rise overhead and fire pale blue beams. The crossing lights form a radiant ring that descends around the party.
Sonoda
Eukrasian Prognosis.
Crystalline barriers bloom around Sonoda, the wandering swordsman, and the young spearman, each shell clear as frozen water and humming with protective aether.
The Wandering Swordsman
No jest. I wanted its position before committing us, but your barrier gives us room to press the advantage.
The Young Spearman
Then I will keep the reeds marked. When it surfaces, we strike before it can retreat into deeper water.
““Come then, let us hunt this beast down now!” *I then took off ahead of the party.*”
SUCCESS (Superb Perception, rolled -1)
Sonoda
Come then, let us hunt this beast down now!
Sonoda surges ahead beneath the crystalline barrier, white boots cutting through shallow water. Her sharpened perception follows bent reeds, disturbed silt, and the beast's dragging wake into the fen.
She reaches a flooded hollow where the trail ends. A massive horned marsh predator crouches among the reeds, broad-backed and mud-dark, its wounded flank rising above the brown water.
Sonoda
The blood trail is fresh, and its retreat path is closed by the deeper channel.
The Wandering Swordsman
There it is. You found it before it could turn on us.
The swordsman splashes after her, blade drawn, while the young spearman follows within the barrier's humming protection. The predator lifts its head, horns cutting through the reeds.
The Young Spearman
We have it cornered. Give the word, and we strike together.
“*Without so much as a signal, I surged forward to the predator.* "Icarus!" *Blue aetheric wings burst forth from my back. In a single flap, it aided me in closing the gap towards the predator with blinding speed.* "Phlegma III." *Purple and black colored aether condensed in the palm of my hand. As I connected it to the predator, an intense concussive explosion of aether was released, blowing it back save for me.*”
SUCCESS (Superb Offensive healing magic, rolled -1)
Sonoda
Icarus!
Blue aetheric wings burst from Sonoda’s back. One thunderous flap hurls her across the flooded hollow, carrying her through the reeds before the horned marsh predator can retreat.
Sonoda
Phlegma III.
Purple and black aether coils into Sonoda’s palm. She drives it into the horned marsh predator’s broad chest, and the spell detonates with a concussive crack, blasting the horned marsh predator backward through the brown water.
The impact scatters reeds and churns the hollow. Sonoda remains planted at the center of the blast, but the spell’s recoil fractures the crystalline barrier around her, shedding bright shards of spent aether.
The Wandering Swordsman
By the Twelve. You struck before it could lift a claw, and drove it clear of the channel.
The Young Spearman
Its guard is broken! I will keep it from the deeper water while you finish the hunt.
“*Before the party or the beast had time to follow-up on my initial assault, I continued the offense. Raising my hand to the beast, I spoke out the spell:* "Dosis III." *The Nouliths' barrels glowed a red hue and began to fire an onslaught of aetheric beams, riddling the beast with a short burst of sustained fire.*”
SUCCESS (Superb Offensive healing magic, rolled -1)
Sonoda
Dosis III.
Sonoda raises one gloved hand toward the horned marsh predator. Her four Nouliths pivot overhead, their barrels glowing a fierce red as aether gathers within them.
The Nouliths unleash a sustained burst. Red beams hammer through the rain and strike the predator across its broad chest and wounded flank, driving it deeper into the churned water.
The horned marsh predator convulses beneath the barrage, then collapses among the reeds. Its massive body settles into the brown water, motionless, while the last beams fade into smoke-like aether.
The Wandering Swordsman
The beast is down. You ended the hunt before either of us could spend a single stroke.
The Young Spearman
It is dead. The trail, the lair, and the proof are all here. We can return before the deadline.
Rain patters across the quiet hollow. Broken reeds drift around the the horned marsh predator, and the party's crystalline barriers glimmer faintly as the successful hunt reaches its abrupt conclusion.
Return to the guild with proof of the beast's death
Quest Complete
Slay the horned marsh predator
Attribute Upgrade: Agility Fair→Good
Quest Complete
Protect the expedition party from the wounded predator
Skill Upgrade: Offensive healing magic Superb→Legendary