Converging Destinies: Part 1

Chapter 150

       Early the next morning, Cedric began his meditation. He wasn't sure what to prepare for, so he prepared for combat and wilderness travel. He provided the group with magical berries and water to drink. Then, he went to wish Varhine goodbye.

       "Goodbye, Varhine." He said.

       "Cedric, be careful out there. And remember, if things go wrong, leave any trace or any hint as to what this thing is, okay?" Varhine requested.

       "Don't worry, I'll make sure it doesn't come to that." Cedric said. Then he left and regathered with the rest of the group.

       He placed his hand on the tree he had used to enter and muttered an incantation. A glowing, emerald outline of a doorway appeared. The whole group stepped through, with Cedric once again at the back.

       They stepped into a dense forest filled with pines and the occasional deciduous tree. In the distance, the group could faintly hear the sound of ocean waves. Most of the trees were tall, and barely any of the already faint light was let in through the treetops.

       "Alright, me and Eris will have a look around. In about six or seven hours, give me a sign of where you all are. Don't wander anywhere alone, that's how all the previous druids disappeared." Cedric said.

       With an emerald flash, Cedric transformed into a massive, majestic eagle. Eris effortlessly leapt up onto his back, and Cedric took to the sky.

       From below, the forest was densely packed with bushes, plants, and trees. From above, it appeared as a massive sea of leaves. Most of them were dark green, but there were splotches of red, orange, and yellow.

       "I'm not sure how we're going to find anything from up here!" Eris shouted. In his eagle form, Cedric gave no response.

       Down below, Zerai led Ara' Sei and Ella in a search for any small creature he could find. After about half an hour, he found a squirrel that was currently munching on an acorn. Zerai whispered under his breath, and the squirrel suddenly looked at him.

       "It's okay, I don't mean any harm." Zerai reassured the squirrel. Ara' Sei and Ella stood back, watching the scene before them unfold. The squirrel leapt onto Zerai's arm. He would occasionally whisper to the squirrel, and the squirrel would stare back at him. A few minutes passed before Zerai let the squirrel run off.

       "Find anything?" Ara' Sei asked.

       "No, it says it didn't see anything weird. But, it did describe a massive, frightening bird flying overhead, so it saw Cedric." Zerai said.

       "Oh." Ara' Sei replied.

       "Well, the Northern Woods are massive, we might have to go further East." Zerai commented.

       Several hours passed in the search up above. But, as much as they scrutinized, there was nothing to see. The late morning shifted to afternoon, and then to late afternoon.

       When early evening began to approach, Zerai and Ara' Sei used their magic to create a beacon of light. From up above, Cedric was easily able to spot the light shining on the surrounding trees.

       Once he landed, Eris leapt off his back and he transformed back.

       "We didn't find anything, how about you?" Eris asked. Zerai shook his head.

       "Nothing here either. I think we might have to travel further East." Zerai said.

       "I think so as well." Cedric agreed.

       "Well, we still have an hour or two before night, let's get started!" Ella said.

       The remaining two hours of the day were spent navigating Eastward. Cedric was easily able to guide the group through the forest. After all, he had lived in these forests for decades, and navigating them was easy, even with the limited illumination of Ara' Sei and Zerai's magic.

       By the end of the first day, the group had just begun their trek into the Northern Woods. That night, they prepared for another day of searching.