Chapter 105. Fruit.
An hour after Severus had patched up the monsters and they were no longer in danger of dying, they continued toward the second safe zone. He did not hurry to release them from their cages, for Nelly's safety. They might attack her, and that would not do.
He also rummaged through their heads, first knocking them unconscious to make it easier. To his disappointment, what he was looking for was not there, and digesting a hundred years of life in a couple of minutes was nearly impossible. So he limited himself to a superficial scan. Then, after waking them, he asked a couple more leading questions from above, but it was pointless. They knew nothing about a crystal like the one he had found in that cave.
Still, he did not leave empty-handed. He combined their memories of the inner Magic Jungles from the last three years, and now Severus knew this place like the back of his hand, especially thanks to the Dark Hound. She never stayed in one place and moved through the forest constantly, changing locations almost every day. Thanks to that, he updated his route to collect ingredients that existed only in this part of the jungle.
It was also from the bear that he learned what that fruit was. It gave monsters a chance to evolve, so it was called the Beast King Fruit. Anyone who ate it, even a weak beast, could become many times stronger and grow comparable to the most powerful creatures of the forest.
The Dark Hound had eaten exactly such a fruit. She had been fortunate. From a simple dark wolf at the bottom of the food chain, she had become the strongest monster in the jungle. That was why the bear had flown into a rage when it found tiger fur near the tree where the fruit had once ripened, thinking the tiger planned to feed it to the cub.
After learning the whole story, Severus finally began to piece together how that serpent could have started evolving. He still had doubts, though, because while the fruit had such a remarkable property, to make a dragon from a snake you would need extraordinary luck and at least twenty such fruits. Perhaps then there would be some chance. And as if by design, the serpent was still asleep, and getting into its head after it had eaten two dozen of those fruits alongside a score of two-striped miracle fruits was somewhat difficult even for him. Not impossible, but he would need at least a day, so he did not rush and decided to leave it for later. He would have to come back for the herbs from the ents' forest anyway.
Jumping up onto a small slope, Severus bent down and plucked a purple flower, then almost immediately tossed it into a small box made for herbs.
"...but I am still surprised you left them alive."
"Since when have you become so bloodthirsty?" Severus asked with a smirk, straightening and lifting his gaze skyward, where the sun was already dropping. "I should speed up. I need to reach the next safe zone today." Once he'd jumped down, he ran forward, passing a tree whose trunk had been ripped apart by claws. "And for what it's worth, I have a conscience too. If I had killed them after robbing them, I'd feel bad about it. At first I wanted to buy the beasts from them, but after the attack I changed my mind. Let them hang in the tree and think about their behavior."
"And you're not worried some beasts might find them?"
"I covered them with a barrier and aversion charms. Why do you think I gathered them in one place?"
"I see," Nagini said. Her voice sounded indifferent, but through their connection Severus felt pride, a hint of joy.
He did not comment. He understood Nagini better than anyone, and he knew she truly did not like killing or causing pain, unless her life or his was threatened. She was glad he had not taken their lives. By nature, Nagini was a very kind soul, and that quality was exactly what he valued in her.
Moving forward, Severus noticed more and more claw marks on the trees. A few minutes later he stopped at a half-empty clearing where a beaten path led to a cave.
This was the bear's lair. He did not go inside. He walked past it and stopped in front of a small palm tree where the fruit had once grown, wanting to take it with him if possible.
But the moment he touched the trunk, a frown crossed his face. He could barely feel any magic from it, as if it were an ordinary Muggle tree. And when he looked at the leaves, he noticed they were already beginning to wither.
Could it be that after the fruit is picked, the tree simply dies? But then how do they regrow... wait, if I remember correctly, the tree that grew the fruit the Dark Hound ate was different. It looked more like a rubber tree, while this one is a palm.
"It reminds me of the parasites you once told me about. They also drained all the nutrients from the host, and when the victim died, they moved to a new one."
"It could be," Severus said, not dismissing Nagini's theory. In the world of magic, anything was possible. "I was going to let you eat it, but after this..." He clicked his tongue, shaking his head with a hint of disappointment. "There's nothing else here for us, and I have already collected the herbs I needed."
"I was wondering if those fruits could have grown in that underground garden too." Nagini murmured thoughtfully. "That would explain how that serpent could, as you said, begin evolving toward a dragon."
"I do not know. Anything is possible. But even if it is true, nothing can be changed now, because that would mean it ate everything. We did not find a single one there. And after this, I am even a little uneasy about using that serpent for the ritual." Severus turned and followed the path back into the thick forest. "When we get back, we need to find more of those fruits. I need to understand what they are and whether they are harmless."
"Of course, of course. Above all, do not rush. Study everything thoroughly!" Nagini rattled off cheerfully, patting him on the shoulder with her tail. A wry smile appeared on Severus's face, and at the sight of it Nagini turned away, embarrassed. She really did not want to eat that serpent's heart or brain.
Though the inner part of the jungle was almost five times smaller than the outer, reaching the safe zone was not difficult. Along the way they ran into several monsters, and also a plant that tried to eat them, but dealing with it all took only minutes. None of those beasts were fit to hold a candle to the three kings. Still, if any of them made it into the outer part of the forest, they would certainly become rulers there.
The next safe zone, compared to the previous one, looked more like an abandoned village surrounded by a stone wall four meters high. And it was not a simple wall. It was almost completely covered in runes, and a whole web of charms had been laid on top, as if the locals feared the dome might disappear someday. Severus, after studying it, could say with confidence that it was unlikely, unless some genius destroyed the crystal that fed it.
In a vague way, the buildings resembled those in the previous village, but they were far more worn. They were coated in grime, roofs had holes, and stones and splintered wood lay scattered here and there. The hanging dark clouds gave the town its own particular charm.
Besides the buildings, there were several tents with wizards in dark outfits standing near them. There were not many people in this safe zone.
From the moment Severus entered through the main gate, paying ten mouro this time, only half an hour passed. In that time he encountered only forty wizards, even though he managed to walk around the entire village, because, like the inner part of the jungle, this place was also several times smaller than the previous safe zone.
Of course, those were not all the people. Most were in houses and tents. Still, something surprised him: seven Magisters in a place this small. He had expected far fewer, and he was certain those were not all of them. At least two were still out in the jungle, and it was quite possible that several more were somewhere outside.
On Brew's recommendation, this time Severus did not stay at an inn. He pitched a tent outside, and after paying a hundred mouro to a member of one of the local groups, he received their sign and hung it on the tent. With it, the chance of someone trying to attack and rob him was minimal. That was mostly down to the non-aggression arrangement they had established between themselves. In the inns, which belonged to different factions, deaths were commonplace, because at any moment someone could poison the food or kill you in the night, and at best you would only be robbed. That was life in the village, where there were no laws except one: whoever is stronger is right.
After setting additional protective and alarm charms on the tent, Severus went inside, ignoring the looks from certain individuals. He was not a lover of luxury, so he limited himself to four rooms. One was a kitchen, another a shower and toilet, and two were living rooms: one for himself and Nagini, and a second for Nelly.
"I do not like this place."
"We will leave tomorrow, so do not worry," Severus said calmly, stroking Nagini as she fretted.
"M-master." Nelly appeared beside him, slightly agitated. "The serpent has awakened."
"Good. I'm coming now," Severus said, moving into one of the rooms. He tossed his cloak onto the bed and placed a simple wooden box on the table. Just then, he disappeared.
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