Andras nodded.
"Alright. So we get the lightning element from that island. But where do we find a legendary‑level water element?"
Noelle answered immediately:
"I'm guessing a Water Naga's stone isn't good enough, right?"
"The Water Naga's magic stone is third‑rate at best," MS Eli scoffed. "There are several water‑element magical creatures. We'll run into one eventually."
Andras got out of bed as the dawn light slowly filled the room.
"Just not anytime soon. Right now we have to deal with the Fire Demons."
"Yes," Noelle agreed. "The demon battle is the priority. No time for side quests."
MS Eli circled in the air, then stopped above Andras's head.
"Then you'd better get out of bed. Otherwise the royal hunt will start without you."
Greenwood — The Forest‑Crowned City
Greenwood lay nestled in a wide valley that blended seamlessly into the surrounding forest, embraced on three sides by ancient, towering woods. On the fourth side rose a steep, rocky hill, and atop it stood the castle — like a lone sentinel watching over the endless green.
The city was protected by a stone wall two meters thick and six meters high, its surface covered in soft green moss, as if the forest itself had woven its protection into the stone. Archers patrolled along the battlements, scouts watched every stir of the woods from the watchtowers, and atop each tower the banner of the green eagle fluttered proudly.
The city was divided into three main districts.
The Upper Quarter
This was the home of the Green Eagle Knights.
Here lived the city's finest archers, here worked the master weaponsmiths, and the training grounds rang daily with the shouts of knights and young apprentices. The district was filled with sturdy stone houses, reinforced gates, and weapon racks lining the courtyards.
The Middle Quarter
This was the heart of Greenwood: the marketplace, the craftsmen's streets, the inns, and the merchants' homes. Most buildings were made of wood with green decorations, and many rooftops were alive with climbing plants reaching toward the sun. The air was always a blend of fresh bread and fragrant spices.
The Lower Quarter
This was the home of forest hunters, woodcutters, and common folk.
Here the city nearly merged with the forest itself. Houses were built of timber, walls decorated with animal pelts and hunting trophies, and the breeze often carried the scent of herbs from open windows.
At the center of the city stood a massive, ancient oak known simply as the Heart of Greenwood. According to legend, Robin Greenwood forged his pact with the forest spirits beneath its branches, and ever since, the tree had been the symbol of the city's protection.
The Castle
The castle rose atop the rocky hill, towering nearly eighty meters above the city. A winding, well‑defended road led up its side, guarded by stone walls, gatehouses, and vigilant sentries. The highest point of the castle was the main tower — the Eagle's Nest. Legend claimed that Robin Greenwood himself once lived there.
Floralys, however, had never liked the place — too high, too drafty, too far from everything.
So the Eagle's Nest had long since become a storage space for old relics and forgotten trinkets, inhabited mostly by birds.
Within the castle grounds stood the main courtyard of the Green Eagle Knights, the armory, Floralys's spacious library, and her personal sacred grove — a quiet sanctuary where the elven lady loved to read, far from the noise of the world.
The Royal Hunt Begins
The first light of dawn had only begun to brush the treetops when the gates of Greenwood slowly opened.
The morning fog lay thick and milky across the ground, swallowing the sound of hooves as if the forest itself were holding its breath. The air carried the scent of dew, pine resin, and a faint, unspoken tension.
The silence before the hunt was so deep that even the birds seemed to restrain their voices.
The King rode at the front, draped in a green cloak trimmed with gold, his posture dignified yet taut with unease. Beside him rode the Princess, her expression calm but somber. Behind the King followed the Hero and her father, the Captain of the Royal Knights. Eris's hand rested on the hilt of her sword, as if she could already feel danger stirring in the distance.
Master Albert, the Royal Archmage, walked beside the horses, leaning on his staff. From time to time he glanced toward the forest, as though sensing some invisible tremor in the air.
The Royal Hunt was escorted by two hundred Royal Knights and twenty Royal Hunters under the command of the Royal Knight Lieutenant. On the opposite side of the procession rode Floralys Greenwood with two hundred Green Eagle Knights and thirty Green Eagle Hunters. The elven lady sat upon her horse in earth‑toned garments adorned with elven patterns, blending into the forest as though she were part of it.
At the head of the Green Eagles rode David the Twinblade, two short swords at his sides, his gaze as sharp as his blades. The grass seemed to bow beneath the horses' hooves in Floralys's presence.
The Wolfwood House was led by Lord Bandorn, with the Lieutenant of the Wolf Knights riding at his side. Behind them came Lady Carla, her maid Marta seated behind her on the saddle, clinging tightly to her mistress's waist. On either side rode the two bodyguards, Xaba and Jula.
Young Wolf waited with his own elite team.
To his right rode Andrea Wolf and Ironclaw, to his left Anita and Noelle. Behind Noelle sat Fireburp, still too young to ride a horse alone — assuming dragons were ever meant to ride horses at all. Such a thing had never occurred in the history of the world.
Beside them rode Master Florian, the Wolf Mage, who had been grumbling since dawn about a "bad smell" in the air. Behind the group marched a hundred Wolf Knights and twenty Wolf Hunters. The Wolfwood hunters watched the forest in utter silence, as if already searching for targets.
Their leader was Beela Hawkeye, whose mere presence commanded quiet all around him.
The Royal Hunt — Gathering of Houses
The Silverwood House was represented, as always, by Christina.
Riding beside the Captain of the Silver Knights was her niece, Amelia, and behind them marched six elite female Silver Knights. They were accompanied by fifty Silver Knights and ten Silver Hunters. The Silverwood hunters checked their bows with light, practiced movements, as if already prepared for any sudden danger.
At the head of the Redwood House rode Lajos Redwood, who — after the humiliation caused by his daughter at the Royal Tournament — was determined to present himself in a better light before the King.
The noble young lady in question, however, was already plotting new mischief.
Annerose Redwood rode her own horse, a pink ribbon in her hair, her eyes constantly searching for Andras. In her hands she held a small ornate cage containing a Redwood pheasant lure — a device meant to attract the rare rainbow‑feathered pink pheasant.
Beside her rode Botond, Captain of the Red Wildrose Knights.
Not only was he the largest knight in the Kingdom — his horse was equally enormous. Even a lion would have thought twice before meeting its gaze. Perhaps they fed it giant mushrooms instead of oats.
They were accompanied by fifty Red Wildrose Knights and twenty Rose Hunters.
Beyond the elite units guarding the royal family and the high nobles, a total of six hundred knights protected the procession, and one hundred hunters were tasked with bringing down the Golden Stag.
The King's goal was clear: to claim the legendary beast said to secure the Kingdom's fortune.
The noble houses, however, had arrived with very different intentions.
The Wolfwood–Silverwood–Greenwood alliance prepared for the demons' impending attack.
The Redwood hunters, on the other hand, had no interest in the Golden Stag — their target was the rainbow‑feathered pink pheasant.
The King raised his hand.
The knights fell silent.
The hunters halted.
The air tightened.
Something shifted in the fog — but it was only a deer slipping between the trees.
The tension did not fade.