The apothecary will open in less than 30 minutes,Keeran opened the firepce grate.The fmes looked like they were reaching out.Keeran was humming and returned with a handful of those hairy stalks with an orb on their ends,the pnts Sae have been collecting as payment.He tossed it into the firepce.The fire grew rge and illuminated blue for a moment before it settled to it's usual size and orange color.

  Keeran quietly watches while humming,fiddling with the bird skulls attached to his waist.

  ...

  Sae was peeking behind a tree,watching Azzam quietly.With the talk with Liam awhile back with the possibility of an organization overhunting and Azzam who was noticed returning to the forest repeatedly and returning empty-handed.The forest is currently deprived of prey so it's no surprise,but why would Azzam do what he is doing?

  Sae left and headed to the east of the forest.This area is humid because of the foliage blocking off sunlight.There are green mana fireflies floating,illuminating alternating green lights in the air alongside the soft blue glow of the orbs dangling on hairy curved stalks.

  Sae kneeled then plucked one off the ground.The orb stopped glowing.She nearly forgot the agreement she made with Keeran,she didn't pay her debt yet.

  "Oh—,"a voice spoke,startling Sae.

  She turned around to see a tall elder,his garments being snagged by pnts but he doesn't seem to mind.

  "So you are the one plucking those pnts,"Kuru said."Do you even know what those pnts are?,"he asked.

  "No,"she answered.

  Kuru let out a smile then walked a few steps closer."Are you not questioning why those orbs are glowing?"

  "It's normal for some pnts to glow,"Sae answered.

  "Yes,"Kuru kneeled.He touched one of the orbs.

  "These pnts are filled with pure mana,"he turned to Sae,"You work with pure magic and yet failed to notice it."

  "I have no affinity with spiritual magic,"she shook her head.

  "But even so,you should be able to notice it,"he stood up.

  "You're right,"she said,"but I did notice something different."She looked straight at Kuru.

  "Do you know why this pce has a barrier put up?"

  Kuru smiled.Sae looked up at the foliage and the green lights shimmering.

  "That's probably why I can't sense the pure mana because of the suppressing barrier,"she then turned to Kuru.

  "Not only did you beat me from ying out the facts to my companions but you also noticed that.I have to say I am impressed,outsider."

  "Beat you to it?You know,you could have said it already.Why wait?,"she asked.

  "I don't know,perhaps I was hesitating,"he answered.

  "You haven't answered my question yet,"Sae said.

  "Hmm,are you really that curious?"

  "If I say yes,will you answer?"

  "Why would there be a barrier in the first pce?,"Kuru said instead.

  "Why so secretive?,"Sae thought.

  No use,she has to think.A barrier,not a physical barrier but a spiritual one.One that actively suppresses mana,she didn't notice it at first because she doesn't use magic,therefore it has no effect on her.She looked at Kuru.

  "So that elder is a possible magic user.Probably even set the barrier himself.Is that why he is here?"she thought.

  But why would one keep a barrier up.

  It's to keep something out or to keep something in.

  "It's either of those,"she thought.

  "You're sharp so I trust you to figure it out,"Kuru turned away,"See you soon,outsider.

  Sae watched as Kuru left.She turned back to the pnts.

  "Should I continue harvesting?,"she thought.

  "Well,I still need to pay my debt,"she sighed.

  ...

  Sae was carrying some gss bottles.Some vilgers are looking at her curiously before moving on.A child with braided pigtails pulled her cloth lightly.

  Sae looked at her.The kid looked straight to her eyes.

  "Pretty,"the kid said softly,looking at her purple eyes."Will you really drive away those beasts?,"she excitedly asked.

  "Um,"Sae understood her through a potion but she can't speak their nguage.

  "Yana!,"a woman hurried to their direction.

  The kid quickly scampered away.

  She continued onwards.She heard some interesting conversations about her by the vilgers conversing loudly.Little do they know,she can hear and understand them clearly.

  "There's the outsider.Can we really trust her?"

  "So far,she did help according to father."

  "But isn't she brought by...him?"

  "Yes,I wonder why?"

  "I heard that they are lovers."

  "No,we're absolutely not,"thought Sae.

  "Sae!,"someone called her name.It's Amallis,hurrying in her direction.

  "Great timing,literally in front of the gossipers,"she dreadfully thought.

  "Let me help you with that,"Amallis excitedly said.

  "No,I don't trust you,"she turned away dramatically and started walking.

  Amallis was taken aback.

  "Hey!,"he called.He immediately went to her side,"You're being mean for no reason again,"he pouted.

  "Ahuh,"she simply said.She stopped for a minute,as she realized something."On second thought,"she turned to him,"I need to speak to you."

  ...

  Kuru was walking,slowly heading towards his companions with his hands behind his back.

  "So have you decided?,"he asked.

  Polyo sighed and Mori took the initiative.

  "It's funny,Kuru,we don't know what you pn to do with the boy,"she scoffed.

  "Oh,my apologies,"he looked straight to each of his companions,"Then,I advice you to listen to me carefully."

  ...

  Amallis was sitting,overlooking a dead farm bed.The crops look like burnt trees,shriveled like they will turn to dust once the wind will blow a little harder.

  This started since the first attack of the fiends,it confused everyone.Who wouldn't be to be honest?But Amallis knows the reason.

  The spirits supporting the soil left,leaving the ground unfit for crops.

  But atleast the ground spirits hadn't,which enables the vilge to grow sweet potatoes,but how long will it st?

  "You're looking serious."

  Amallis looked up from below the ground.It's Sae,blocking the sunlight.Her purple eyes look beautiful at this angle,he noticed it but turned away.

  "Thinking,"he said.He stood up.

  "So,why did you call me?"

  Sae told Amallis everything,from her telling the elders her thoughts,her visit to Liam,to the missing people,and Azzam.

  "There's a reason why all of these are happening,"said Amallis,"So,what's next?"

  "We need to check what's Azzam doing,"Sae answered.

  ...

  In the south of the forest,Azzam scanned his surrounding with a grave expression.

  "She has to be here,"he thought to himself.

  Behind one of the trees,peeked Sae and Amallis.They are watching carefully and quietly,they've been doing so for the past hour.

  "He seems to be finding something,"Sae thought,"So far nothing incriminating."

  Azzam suddenly stopped,he saw something shining in the ground.He picked it up.

  "Finally!I'm in the right track!,"he thought,delighted.

  Just then someone was sprinting fast towards him and tackled him on the ground.Azzam accidentally lets go off the object and tumbled in the bushes,obscuring it.His face nded on the ground,he tried to see who tackled him.

  "Sae!,"his perpetrator shouted.

  Someone else walked towards them,"What are you doing?,"a woman's disappointed voice.

  "You told me to look for anything suspicious,"he looked at Azzam,"And he just did something."

  "He just kneeled,Amallis.Kneeled!,"said the woman.

  "Even so,who kneels all of a sudden in the forest!,"defended the young man.

  The woman heavily sighed.

  "Amallis,let him sit,"said the woman,exhausted.

  The young man made him sit.Azzam can see the people clearly,the young man has tanned skin with white tattoos and a white streak on his brown hair and the woman is covered,even her hair,she has striking purple eyes.

  "What do you want from me?,"Azzam asked.

  "My apologies,mister,but we have to ask a question instead,"Sae said."

  "Yes,answer them alright mister,"huffed the young man.

  "What's the deal with this guy?,"Azzam raised his eyebrow to Amallis.

  Sae sighed,"Just ignore him."

  Amallis was to retaliate but he held back his tongue.

  "What are you doing here?The forest is dangerous and the public already issued a warning and yet you repeatedly return,"Sae took a breathe,"Since you are a hunter,you should already know by now how fruitless hunting is.So what's the deal?

  Azzam looked back to the bushes where the thing went in then to the pair.

  "Is it illegal for a man to look for his daughter?,"Azzam answered.

  ...

  "Absolutely NOT!,"Mori shouted.

  "Mori,"Tina went to her side.She held her hand which Mori yanked away.

  "Did you not hear what he just SAID?,"she looked at Kuru with fire in her eyes and gritted teeth.

  "You pn to use that boy and his spiritual powers but did you simply FORGET what happened years ago?,"she pointed at Kuru,screaming.

  "THAT incident 9 years ago,"a child with lively blue eyes who asked permission to his mother to go to the forest who returned with dull eyes.

  "Who wrecked SEVERAL of our houses,"with a flick of his tiny wrists,set fire everything he comes across...even people.

  "Who took the LIVES of our people even his OWN mother,"a mother who drained herself for the sake of her son.

  "Do you WISH to repeat THAT?,"she's out of breath.The memory resurfaced,the memory of her holding her bleeding grandchildren.

  "Mori,"Tina softly said.Polyo looked away.

  "Excuse me,"Micha left.

  Mori loudly breathe in then out.Kuru simply stood there with a slight frown.

  "Kuru,"Polyo turned to him,"We refused."

  Kuru shrugged,"Fine,I understand."He turned his heel and was about to left.

  "Kuru,are you hiding something?,"Polyo suddenly asked.

  "Polyo?,"Tina said.

  Kuru smiled,"Why and what would I be hiding?"

  "..."

  "Nevermind,"Polyo said.

  Kuru proceeded to leave.

  ...

  Behind one of the trees,a warrior is watching Sae and Amallis questioning Azzam.

  Author's note:

  Heya,I will be updating weekly after this.Thanks for stopping by and also if you enjoyed it,please consider liking it or adding to your library so you won't miss any updates

  :D

  That's all,hope you have a wonderful day onwards!

  P.s

  This series is also posted on Wattpad and Tapas.