As we made our way down the beaten dirt path, lavish and lush greenery surrounded us in every direction. The forest next to Lusthollow was thick and only ever penetrated by adventures for quests. However Adrian's little dick minimap was about to have them enter.
"We go in here, Celeste… I feel like the manor is that way," I said as I pointed toward to dense jungle. "From here on out… we need to be on our toes, while we're at it, explain what kind of monsters appear here,"
Celeste followed me off the road without hesitation, once we had both entered the woods completely it felt different. Somehow that one small step changed how the atmosphere felt somehow. She stayed silent for a few minutes before she stopped me.
"I've spent a ton of time out here… it's just basic slimes, goblins and wolves… though, if there are a lot of wolves they can be dangerous," She stopped for a moment to breathe before continuing. "Honestly… with me here you shouldn't have to worry about much,"
As the words left her mouth, something in the distance rustled some leaves. Celeste's body went rigid as she grabbed for her bow and an arrow, lining it up onto the nock and looking around for the disturbance.
"Adrian… be careful something is close," She said under her breath, making sure nothing else could hear her. "Get ready… I can't see where that noise came from,"
I readied my spear and covered Celeste's back, rotating my sight from left to right scanning for any tiny movement waiting for something to pop out at us. After standing in this defensive stance for a few moments, the leaves to our side began to rustle violently as three black wolves walked out to greet us, all growling with their heads bowed low.
"Too close…" Celeste said as she rolled away from me and aimed her bow back toward the wolves. "Careful Adrian, I'm firing…" she loosed an arrow as she finished.
I watched as in a blink an arrow traveled between my legs, almost too close for comfort; striking the center wolf directly in the head, killing it immediately. The other two looked over at their dead companion, anger visibly rising in them as they growled even louder than before.
Using that distraction on the beast's concentration, I took my spear and threw it forward toward one of the wolves with all my strength. Meeting flesh and bone with a vulgar smash, killing the second instantly. As I pulled it back I heard a loud vroom as another arrow flew passed me taking out the last wolf.
Several penis shaped windows appeared after the fight finished.
[ TARGET DEFEATED 15XP GAINED ]
[ TARGET DEFEATED 15XP GAINED ]
[ TARGET DEFEATED 15XP GAINED ]
[ New Skill Unlocked ]
[ SKILL: Minor Spear Proficiency: Passive|Growth ]
[ The user of this skill is minimally proficient with any pole type weaponry | Continued use over time grows this unique skill ]
"Man that was awesome Adrian… you got one! On your first try too…" Celeste celebrated as she walked over to the dead wolves.
I watched as she leaned down and pulled her arrows out of the beasts, looking each over before placing them back into her quiver. She then grabbed a knife from her waist and began skinning the wolves, taking care with each cut while placing them inside of some paper after. Rolling the hide up and tying a rope around it tightly to keep it bound.
"I'm assuming monster bits and pieces sell here?"
Celeste looked at me, her face twisted in confusion. "Duh… what did they do where you're from?" Continuing to perform almost surgery on the dead beasts. "To answer your question… Yes, most things you hunt or find are worth something. If you do guild quests you'll frequently see requests for 'drops', the hide from those wolves counts as a drop,"
She packed the loot away and rejoined me. "So where is this manor you keep promising me?"
"Somewhere out here, my gut tells me to just keep walking this way," I said as I pushed through a bush, opening up the area slightly. "Hey, it gets less thick through here… come on," I continued walking on the path, the dot on my map getting closer with every step.
Moments later she made her way into the area catching up to me, grabbing my waistband and giving it a tug. "Don't leave me behind, butthole…"
We continued to make our way through the forest, as the time passed and the dot grew closer I could feel something wasn't right. This was far too easy, anything the system had put him up to either was insane to begin with or had some kind of downfall to it. I thought about what might be waiting for us, the quest had specifically told me to 'clear' the manor.
Lost in thought I heard Celeste yell 'look out' before I was thrown to the side hard, rolling on the dirt ground. She let out a scream before I had a chance to look back, by the time my vision stopped rolling a pack of green slimes had clung onto her body; each was emitting a soft sizzle and light smoke, the slimes were burning her.
"Celeste!"
Forcing myself up I ran over to her, grabbing slime after slime and throwing them off of her in a panic. My hands burned with each one I pulled off, leaving the gloves that were meant to protect tattered and barely hanging onto my hand.
Blisters formed from my palm to my fingertips before I had torn the last one off of her. What was left was a slime coated, barely clothed elf in front of me. Seeing the state of her clothing I gestured for her to check herself out.
She looked down at her bare chest inspecting the burns before realizing what had actually happened, she covered herself in embarrassment shortly after. Falling to the ground she asked me to get her a new set of clothes from her pack.
"Hold on this will be easier since I can see all of you, sit still for a second…" I said as I dropped down by her side, looking over her delicate body and finding each spot she had a burn.
"Heal"
Green and orange hues emitted from my blistered palms, brushing against Celeste's burns before dissipating into the air. The burns lessened into small red spots on the girl, not fully healed but no longer in danger of getting infected.
After I knew she would be fine, I grabbed her outfit and handed it to her. As she reached for her clothes she spotted my hands and winced slightly before taking them from me. Her face also shifted to a more subtle tone.
"You healed me before yourself…" She asked, beginning to get emotional as she dressed. "I was fine, your hands… they're so messed up," Tears began to fall as she talked, each word carrying weight behind it.
"It's no big deal… see?"
I used the magic to heal my hands, leaving nothing but red dots on them. Waving them in front of her face to try and calm the situation down she looked and relief flooded her face. She sprang up hugging me tightly before punching me in the arm.
"Next time… heal yourself first, if you go down first no one is left to heal," She explained as she continued to walk toward the manor. "Now let's go!"
A large wooden manor came into our view, its ancient, weather-beaten walls stained a dark brown and covered in vines. The building had two floors and a porch out front, the forest cut smoothly around it.
As we neared a large beast could be seen out front, waiting for our arrival.