Untitled Chicken Quest (2)
1433 Words
As we're out of Orion Cepheid, I ask Lorelei the taxonomist...
“How sure are you that the red chicken went north?”
“Simple! I not just traced its footprints, but also used some support magic to determine its current location. Which, according to the Oracle's Staff I wield, should be in... Onocho Peak. It should be easy to trace the chicken via the eggs it laid.”
Ah. She wields the Oracle's Staff, huh? Only practitioners of support magic can wield them and thus amplify their specific magical aptitude.
Support magic encompasses all magic that isn't officially classified as offensive or healing. This includes spells that manipulate time, detect treasure and items enemies have in hand, shape-shift both animate and inanimate objects, move those objects with telekinesis, temporarily allow speaking and understanding in foreign languages and animal speech, open locks, and place markers on specific targets to determine their locations. This kind of magic requires much rational and logical thinking that goes beyond blasting enemies or healing allies; and due to their relative unpopularity, supporter-type adventurers are kind of hard to come by.
And Onocho Peak? That's quite a distance we've got to cover.
In fact, we're at the entrance of Melco Jungle – the place that separates Orion Cepheid and Onocho Peak.
This jungle has thick vines and bushes, trees with twisted branches and vines, and monsters and predatory animals that can deal the worst of status effects on unprepared adventurers.
That bit of info was gleamed from an adventurer's guidebook written not too long ago.
Fortunately, I have some items in my satchel that heal particular status effects; but as someone who conserves his items, I must them judiciously.
Discretion is the better part of valor, anyway.
“Ever went here before?”
I ask her.
“Not a clue. I always know this place is full of dangerous creatures that deal out equally dangerous status effects. Especially that toothy fiend whose trademark bad breath dishes out practically every negative status effect on a hapless chap in one go.”
“Ah yeah, I remember that creature. I've encountered it once before, but never actually fought it.”
We then start penetrating the thickets that define the jungle.
Thickets that are prime spots for dangerous creatures to ambush us or pick us off from a distance.
No wonder she considers this a perilous place.
Glad she employs my services because she knew she would trudge this place someday, one way or another.
The next part of the jungle is quite easy to navigate. Some deciduous trees dot the landscape, and there are not many vicious creatures prowling this area...
...except for a snake or two.
As those few snakes bare their fangs and attempt to bite us and inject us with deadly poison...
“Produ Platak Schwarda.”
I conjure a silver sword, which I swing with relative ease, decapitating each snake with just a swing.
“Incredible! How'd you do that?”
Lorelei curiously asks me.
“I came up with the spell myself.”
“Hmm... maybe if we combine my own support spells with your own unique object summoning spells, we can get through those monsters with relative ease.”
“Why not? I mean, it doesn't hurt to try and experiment. That's what you do as a scientist, right? And it's not that I keep my unique spells a secret to anyone... unless they're planning to use them for evil purposes.”
“You've got a point, yeah.”
“Then let's mosey. That chicken could've been chow for the monsters here.”
The next part of the jungle is where things get more dangerous.
Poisonous and carnivorous plants are everywhere. We must be careful not to touch nor provoke them.
With we can muster out of our rudimentary stealth skills, we proceed with caution.
But even with discretion, I spaz out for a split-second, unbeknownst to me, for no apparent reason at all.
As a result, I trip on a seemingly harmless vine.
“Walter, be careful!”
Lorelei warns me as we both come face to face with one of those huge Venus flytrap-type plants.
These plants are big enough to swallow humans and similar-sized living creatures whole.
As I still wince in pain after the tripping (thankfully, I get away with a minor bruise)...
The giant flytrap closes in on us.
Lorelei closes her eyes and concentrates as she focuses her energy on her Oracle's Staff.
“Mitashin Ullara Hinokian!”
She then releases a thunderbolt of energy to the carnivorous plant, and the plant gradually morphs to a cypress tree.
Oh, I recall it now.
She just used a shape-shifting galdr.
The first word, Mitashin, is the definitive word for metamorphosis.
The second word must contain the specific object being targeted by the spell. In this case, Ullara is a general term for all flytrap-like plants, big and small.
The third word must contain the specific object that the target must turn into. In this case, Hinokian is the term for cypress.
“Glad you saved our skin.”
“No sweat. I practice all the time when I'm not busy with my research.”
After she helps me get back on my feet, we eventually get out of the perilous plant area.
Standing before us is a quite open grass field, surrounded by dense harmless trees.
We can also see Onocho Peak from a considerable distance.
Also, it's approaching nighttime.
I bring out a portable tent from my satchel, and then assemble it with a push of a button.
Portable tents that are automatically assembled by a magical-mechanical process are a must for adventurers, and they can be sold at item shops everywhere for only 500 guintos a piece.
Lorelei and I then spend the night toasting marshmallows and feasting on military rations I got for free from roaming soldiers who were received newer, more flavorful versions.
“Man, this ground beef on rice ration tastes kinda awful!”
“Just stomach it. At least it still provides nutrition, and it isn't expired yet.”
I even show her the expiry date of the ration: 31st of Affectionmonth, 1020 CE.
After that rather tasteless dinner, we are ready to make bed and go to sleep.
The portable tent already includes two sleeping beds, all folded up and ready for use.
“Well then, Walter... we'll finally clinch the breakthrough tomorrow.”
“And maybe find a way to preserve that species. Can't have it disappear from the science journals, right?”
“Right. Well then, good night.”
“Good night to you, too.”
As we prepare to close our eyes and buckle ourselves up for a trip to dreamland...
“HONK!”
A booming voice dominates the nighttime air.
It's booming enough to disturb the birds perching atop the trees.
It's booming enough to scare off tame animals who just happened to forage for food here.
It's booming enough for our eyes to remain open and delay our trip to dreamland.
Naturally, we are both incensed by this.
“Sheesh, what's with that booming goose sound? I know geese don't live anywhere near my town.”
“Quit your complaining, Lorelei. I have a solution for this.”
Once I get up from my bed, I take out four rubber bands, four cotton balls, and four small sheets of silk cloth.
She tells me...
“I wonder why you're storing random things in your satchel when you should dedicate your space to more healing items and stuff.”
I answer while I make four small implements out of the four batches of items...
“You know what? I always tell myself whenever I pick up a random object... 'this will be useful someday'. For instance... the rubber bands came from packets of stir-fried noodles I've bought not too long ago; the cotton balls were from empty jars of multivitamins a friend planned to throw away; and the sheets of silk cloth... they were monster drops.”
As I finish my explanation, I come up with these. Improvised earplugs made for us to ward off that annoying honking, which by the way, repeats itself at this very moment.
“Here. Put these two on your ears, and you'll have a good night's sleep.”
I put on the earplugs myself, and she does the same without any hesitation.
Now I'm back to bed. Both the cotton and the silk do a good job of noise cancellation.
Lorelei lets out a smile as she gradually dozes off.
Well then... nighty-night.
- Writer
