Images of his former home, all as if it were a fuzzy dream. Memories from before the alleyways, the Orithan pits, now he wasn’t even sure they were memories at all. He let his mind wander as he looked out upon the Gently rolling green hills of Nalugia, Connor watching the more timid creatures prance about. His sword, Zephyr, named for his fathers warhorse, a bright emerald green blade, hung from his grasp.  Connor stood Within his own shadow as he waited for night to fall.

with his back against The Fiery deep red of Eruna and was pleased that the Godesses Light blocked most of The fierce blue blaze of Aruko.

In the corner of his eyes something glimmered in the distance, an ominous hue of red, not part of the glimmer of the sun

He ventured further into the forest and called out, emerald blade poised, loosely , but cautiously so, only moments till he drew it.

Step by step, he proceeded into the thichets of overgrown bushes, ever deeper, as the mystical glow called out to him, the trees swallowing the Sounds of his voice , something loomed out from behind him, Struck him in the back of the head “Argh” he yelled in pain, swung his blade back, Moments too late, thin air, damn you Beast! I know it is you, who is out there darting amongst the Shadows” “ Face me Coward !” . for the next few moments there was silence, and birds occasionally twittered about. but Connor could feel the air, it was calm, but it was alive with sounds of the trees breathing.

Some types of trees in the Alchaviasa Forest, especially those in the ashen crest could sense motion, and either one of the Carnivorous variants of Lilithin might may occasionally shift around to disorient its prey, catch an traveler or creature unawares.

Connor had witnessed such ferocity when one of the thorny mutations ripped a Direwolf limb from limb. As a boy he was brought here by his adoptive father, to learn how his taught him and his fathers’ father before him, a peace offering to the Lillithin the ritual had been part of the For at least five-hundred years within Drieliths family.

Connor learned the ways of the forest, to earn the trust of the Veins Root, living alongside the hooved forest dwellers, the Ceityrn, the Forest Dwellers. Connor would feed the trees, the carcasses of the ravenous Kura, the giant rodents, even the Tethis Lechir, other vermin that roamed near his stead, the trees never bothered him, as long as they were appropriately compensated for his presence.

But now that Connor rarely hunted in the Crest, more for the money than or food, the trees became agitated. He still left offerings at the Dragons Vein, the root-mind of the Ashen Lillithin. most of the Trees satisfied, with one occasionally striking out with annoyance, but only when he was unaware of his surroundings, or warning him of dangers he became unsusually tolerant of, these trees had become an integral part of his navigation through the Crest.

When he began to hunt beasts, again, the trees linked by their roots he became known by them. When they fell silent, he knew he was no longer alone. The Wind died down, just as it did this moment and everything grew still as the grave. Connors muscles Tensed, grip tightening on the emerald blade, as he whispered to himself, “Survivor of the Pits Othira”, as he was called by the Ceityrn. He had been warned to “Stay wary”.

During his time with the Ceityrn , ferocious beasts that would attack the forest folk, mostly the edas most common to the forests, large scaly and vermin called Cur, the stray Riekana Direwolf. And the occasional Tethis Lechir of the Nothern mountains ventured a Long way for easier prey.

Among the worst of these wandering beasts, where the fierce Ankaros, and their variants Some more of Kindred blood, and Anakar , One in particular roamed the Crest, Connor could tell by the highly Flexible limbs entering Rigorum. Their mangled limbs quivered in their dying agony on the grey soot of the Crests firm soil, he could always hear the Lilithin , ever since he came to this place, he could, whenever he lingered in range of their senses and when they screamed it made his head would Hurt, the hundreds of voices, screaming, high-pitched screech that remained inaudible by ear. Knowing the biology of these trees where sentient , the knowledge that they had a cautiousness. in his years alive he wouldn’t think he would ever empathize with a tree, Nor would his thoughts ever ever imagine that such an incredible world like this ever existed that he would assist beings protect those , who lived among them especially those whom. Someday the Ceityrn would have to relocate, as the other tribes of the hoofed peoples retain a confidence of the safety within the walls of Nalugia the the safety of the city walls, this thought crossed his mind often, fir Miraisa’s love. he would defend her kind for all eternity if he could”, if he hadn’t ben so suborn and lain with her five years ago, he clutched the Engraved gem in his coat , as he remembered her alluring presence. , the gentle slope of her Thighs. How different hers were the exact gem he found when he saw the light, and was when he found himself in this strange land he had promised her he would Give the memento to her as a Symbolic geture of his heart In the western grove. He longed to see her again. But since he had lain with her, their was a uneas around him it was unbecoming of the . But he still fought to protect them , even if it meant he had die , in order to win their favor.

As he ventured further into the forest the sight which sprawled before him catastrophic, crushed stumps and fallen trees , but eventually he found the trail of the beast , though it the Ruins That Became a gravesite for many a great warrior. Connor followed The twisted branches burnt grey branches of the crest had been mangled branches gave way to the deep gouge marks from claws in the freshly churned earth, and the unmistakable reek of Kiriakara piss. He could have sworn The stench alone could deter an entire Pack of Reikana wolves , imagine a furious Kirikar Trying to catch a Dire in this scenario, the Kirikar, Are fast beasts, but nothing compared to the agile Wulves.

The thought caused Connor out a laugh. Abruptly he fell silent, as he remembered that these forests whet full of dangers, the maroon glow that had brought him back to the forest Had disappeared , and the Forest liekhen’s continued silence unnerved him even further, and this made Connor frantic. Had he wandered too far, or had following the Kiriakara trail distract him.

A crack of a branch immediately alerted his attention as a spiny appendage hit him hard once again in the back, as a Tree quickly alerted him to another presence, he shrugged it off with ease, believing it was just what would become his dinner. Atleasrt had thought that was until as a second blow this connected with his skull, a he cried out, no that wasn’t a branch of Lillithin, he thought, as he felt blood run down the back of his neck. He fell , jus enou to roll onto nd caught himself he saw the struck upward with his sword arm to his dismay the Looming figure of the kirikar, had caught it in its powerful Jaws, which dripped with acidic saliva, Connor recoiled in pain , trying to pull his arm , which now became a crippled ,painful and dissolving mass , of flesh and bone, dead weight Connor heaved himself up, it laughed at him, “The Great hunter of Othira felled so easily, ” the creatures ghastly maw sent phlegm, drip across spread across his face , it burned with an intense fire, one of which he had never felt before as the toxic spit ate away at his flesh.

The struggling man he fought the pain with all his might thinking he might be able to strike it strike the beast in the head, with but, he remembered that steadily deteriorating, jabbing that hand up hand into its eye wouldn’t be enough force to kill but might blind it, but he looked around broken branch lay nearby. Better than his hand, Sharper too. Connor was quick to snatch the branch up he swung out at the beast’s head, hitting its eye the creature roared, as it struck its mark. howling in Fury, the creature clutching its face, crashing headlong into several thrashing trees as it went. As Connor finally succumbed to the intense sensation, his vision blurred and his mind faded to the darkness of the void. He crumpled landing face down amongst the sooty earth of the forest floor.

When he awoke, Connor found himself drenched in a in a cold sweat, he looked about him, and realized he was lying in a clearing of grass, having no recollection of the journey out of the Ashen Crest. both his coat and cowl cloak had been folded and neatly stacked beside him, the gem laid atop his sword, which glinted as the as the horizon glowed with the sliver blue glare of Arukos morning fire.

Connor tried to sit up. Unfortunately the shock of pain that shot through him sent him into bout of cursing. throughout his arm, then feeling receded as quickly as it had come. And Connor he laid back, he grimaced , his neck swelled, bruised to black and blue , had settled to a dull throbbing, He was bandaged up with the leaves of an Hydra bush, a nuisance Invasive spicie that was well known for Its uses as a medicinal herb , the Herb had been wrapped around his forearm that dulled the damage the saliva had caused, in a matter of fact, he felt that same sensation about his eye , and he was either blinded in that eye, or something covered it, and he was felt unusually blissful. For a moment he couldn’t understand why Everything felt numb to him. with his vision adjusting to the light, he could begin to make out the line of trees of the forest, and a large boulder.

Engraved on the surface of the rock were three marks, they were rough, thick, and rushed, must have been quite recent he thought to himself. he saw no signs of natural weathering on the etched surface. Judging by the particular marks, his must have signified how long he’d been laying, writhing in pain. “Three days.” he groaned to himself. Connor let his ears focus on the sounds around him, he could hearfaint echos of the Lilithin screaming inside his head, but he rhe relaxed more as the calls of the morning birds, twittering about the Grove, the gentle the trickle of the Nithon Springs nearby, and the soothing crash of the Aragyan Falls in the distance, his mind was peaceful, The effect of the hydrae intensified and his senses began to dull once more.

But as they did so he could detect the sweet lingering aroma of freshly picked Liiuna Flowers. They were not native to the nearby hot springs, the Ashen Crest, nor mystical places of the Grove the fragrant flower originated from the western lands, and retained a Remarkably calming sent to them, that and when combined with the leaves of hydrae, could send whomever used it into a something that mimicked a drunken stupor, easing his pain.

His good eye fell on muddy tracks that lead form the forest, to him, back, and forth he could tell, although similar in shape, these trails were not of Kindred origin, the deep the impressions seemed rushed. these had a uniform likeness of that of hooves, but only a few seen in single pairs. The tracks were unstable. As if the mud had caught one who made them, he confirmed within his own thoughts, the Ceityrn… Relaxation spread across his entire body, as the pain begun to subside from all senses. With a small smile he closed his eyes, Marisala, What would I do without you.