"You've saved our tribe, you don't know how grateful we are, sir lizard and fire giants!" The Elder Truffle said, crying in happiness. The rest of the Myconid gathered around him.
"It is nothing, we were just passing by. Also, I'm a dragon. Name's Surtr, and this is Mina and Nadia. We've come from the surface to check on the Mountain Guardian. Lately, he has stopped being active, and we've heard that he might be in pain." Said Surtr.
"You people are Myconid, right?" Mina wondered. "I've heard that you people have worshiped the guardian for thousands of years!"
"Do you know where he might be?" Nadia asked with concern. "The faster we can get there, the better…"
"Oh, so you've come to aid our lord!" The chief said in happiness and relief.
"But our lord is…"
"Well, it is all that damn Trafalh's fault!"
"What can we even do?"
"What's wrong?" Mina wondered. "Who's Trafalh?" She asked innocently.
"Let me guess, he's somehow related with those Dark Myconid we fought." Nadia said, crossing her strong and sweating muscular arms.
"M-More or less…" The chief sighed. "How about we discuss this at my home? Sir Surtr, it is possible for you to… Erm."
"Well, I can turn smaller, yeah." Surtr quickly took his humanoid form.
While being showered by praises, Surtr and the twins made their way to the chief's house, were given a meal made out of… just tons of mushrooms, from mushroom stew to roasted mushrooms, and mushroom soup, and mushroom juice and tea.
Jamar was there as well, thanking Surtr and the twins for having saved him. The boy had a brave heart but lacked the strength to follow such bravery without getting himself killed, sadly.
"Jamar! I told you that you shouldn't had gone there recklessly! If it wasn't for Sir Surtr, you would had gotten yourself killed!" The chief reprimanded him. He was actually his grandfather.
"B-But if I didn't bought that time, the villagers would had gotten killed before Surtr arrived!" Jamar complained.
"He certainly bought us some time." Surtr nodded.
"I… Well, even then… You shouldn't had done something like that!" The chief harshly reprimanded him. "When are you going to learn that all those fantasies you have won't come true?! We Myconid cannot become warriors… your father… he… you know what happened to him because he followed that foolish dream."
"H-How can you say that of dad?!" Jamar cried furiously. "Ugh, I hate you grandpa! You never recognize the strength that dad had!" Jamar cried, running away.
"J-Jamar!" The chief cried, trying to call him back, but the boy didn't come back.
"A bit too harsh on the boy, huh?" Nadia closed her arms. "He got potential, you shouldn't treat him like that. If he were in our tribe, he would be praised instead. Brave hearts are important."
"I… apologize for that…" The chief sighed. "But it is a matter of strength, we Myconid cannot compare to the might of Fire Giants. Becoming warriors is risking our lives foolishly in the frontlines…"
"Poor Jamar…" Mina sighed. "You need to apologize later, elder!"
"Sigh… I will." The chief sighed. "Anyways, for now, let me explain you what has been happening here. It seems that the people of the surface has yet to fully learn the details."
The chief explained to Surtr and the twins about Trafalh, the "dark and ancient power" he found, and that this dark priest might be the reason behind the Mountain Guardian's weakened state.
"He's poisoning the guardian?!" Mina cried in shock. "How awful…"
"That bastard! We'll crush him!" Nadia said. "How can he do such a thing?!"
"You two, calm down and listen." Surtr sighed, calming the two girls by gently patting their shoulders.
"Well…"
The elder continued explaining, telling them that Trafalh desired to free the Myconid from the "Mountain Guardian's dependency" and be freed from his blessings and protection.
"He said it was something that made us weak and pathetic, and that he had found a stronger, much more powerful patron to worship." The chief sighed.
"This "patron" might be the origin of this dark power the monsters were wielding, I assume…" Surtr sighed. "Do you know where he is?"
"His territory is to the farther west lands, the Dark Miasmic Mushroom Forest, which is right in front of the Mountain Guardian's Sanctuary, the deep caves where he rests." The chief explained. "That place used to be brimming with nature and life until he corrupted it all with Miasma… Monsters roam everywhere, and his children, the Dark Myconid, can wield dangerous Darkness and Chaos Magic."
"I see…" Surtr nodded. "We'll get there then, there's no time to waste." He said, telling the twins.
"Alright, I'm not even tired anyways!" Mina agreed.
"No time to waste!" Nadia smiled.
"Y-You're leaving already?!" The chief was surprised.
"If we delay this, things might only get worse." Surtr smiled. "For now, I'll leave some protection in your village. And also, better staffs and magic weapons. Also, take these Mana Potions."
Surtr threw a whole pile of items in front of the chief's house, from armor, to magic staffs, mana potions, and also, using his powers, he reinforced the walls and used magic stones to create an invisible magic barrier made of Origin Flames…
"A-Amazing…" The chief was amazed. "But… you won't stay a bit more?"
"I'm sorry, we're in a hurry!" Surtr smiled. "For now-"
"Wait! Please wait!" Jamar suddenly showed up, running towards Surtr and the twins. "Please, take me with you!"
"What?! Jamar! Stop it!" The chief tried to stop him.
"Please!" Jamar said. "I want to fight and protect the village!"
"You've already fought and protected it enough, stay here and grow stronger." Surtr smiled. "Here… take this, a gift." Surtr repaired his sword with monster's magic cores and his own scales, gave him a small set of armor, and a Blood Elixir using his own blood as an ingredient.
"E-Eh? Thanks, but this is…!" Jamar really wanted to go with them, but Surtr and the twins were already flying in the skies.
"Take care, little Jamar! Your bravery will one day be recognized by the rest! I have recognized yours if that helps!" Surtr smiled. "Take care and protect this place!"
"B-But…! Wait!" Jamar fell to his knees, feeling slightly depressed, as Surtr and the twins flew away.
"It is too dangerous to bring along that little guy." Surtr sighed. "Though, I wish I could had helped him grow stronger, but that'll be for another time."
"I guess you're right…" Nadia sighed. "Though it is awful how they treated him…"
"I wish we could give him the strength to show his people he can become a warrior!" Mina said.
"Well, who knows?" Surtr smiled. "Though… that boy was somehow special. I don't know how to say this but his aura, his soul, maybe, it had some compatibility with mine."
"Similar to how we had the same compatibility too?" Nadia asked.
"More or less." Surtr nodded.
"Oh! Look!" Mina pointed at the distance.
As they flew across the skies at maximum speed, in a couple of minutes, they were able to see an enormous Dark Mushroom Tower emerge in the distance.
A deadly, chaotic dark presence was surging from within…
FLAAASH!
BAAAAMMM…!
With a loud clash, Surtr pierced through the dark forest, slashing apart monsters and any magic defenses, as he landed in front of the tower's gate, kicking it open!
CRAAAASH!
"Knock, knock!" Surtr roared, filling with flames everything as he entered the tower.
"I-Intruders! UAAAGH!"
"T-Those flames! Don't touch them- UUAGH!"
"W-Who is this lizard?! RUN- GYAAAH!"
The Dark Myconid were being burned one after another, as Surtr made his way inside the tower. Giant Chimeric Mushroom Beasts jumping at him and the twins one after another, as the brave trio decimated them all while running upstairs.
"Trafalh! We'll stop you from contaminating the Mountain Guardian!" Surtr roared.
The red eyes of the Dark Priest glanced down below, while sitting over his throne.
"Annoying pests… I guess you're finally here."
…
Meanwhile, a young Myconid ran across the forest, while drinking a red elixir given to him just a few minutes ago.
"There's no way I'm going not going to participate in Trafalh's subjugation!" He thought bravely, albeit recklessly. "I need to do something, for my pride, and for the pride of us Myconid! After all…"
He glanced at the tower in the distance, his eyes glowing with fiery light.
"Trafalh was my dad's brother…" He sighed. "I feel like… I have to take him down myself. I need to avenge dad!"
"Hey! Hey you! Kid!"
"Huh?"
Suddenly, Jamar stumbled upon a small, blue-colored slime.
"A-A talking slime?!"
"Don't worry, I'm a good slime! Phew, I barely made it!"
"Eh?!"
"Can you hitch me a ride to that tower?"
