Chapter 58: Entering the Unexplored Forest
A pleasant smile appeared on Charles's face as he tapped his finger and took out an empty wheel-symboled contract paper from his space ring. Charles had already filled most of the contract rules and only left the contractors' names, terms, and conditions blank.
"Life contract? I thought you are a believer of Sun God."
A chuckle escaped from Charles's red lips as he took out the quill and Ink bottle from his space ring and said while dipping the quill into the ink bottle.
"I'm the follower of Ancients. All these gods are just fake deities for me." His words contain a sense of mystery.
"Those are dangerous words, Miss." Jimmy didn't ask anything further about that topic and zeroed his attention on the contract. Even though it was a regular contract used for signing a simple agreement under the name of Goddess Nira, he still stared at it with wide-opened eyes and checked multiple times.
On the other hand, Charles wrote the terms and conditions clearly, put his sign, and then presented the contract paper to Jimmy along with the golden quill and the ink bottle.
Jimmy caught the contract paper, checked once again, and then dipped the golden quill into the ink bottle before signing it.
A second later, the contract started burning and soon disappeared from there.
Once the contract disappeared, Jimmy noticed a small mark appeared in the depths of his Inner-World and shook his head.
'If I was a Rank-4 [Quest Finder], I would have easily erased these fake marks. Sadly, I can only abide by the rules for now and fulfill the contract on my own. Hmm, Jimmy's soul is already in deep sleep. Within a week or two, his last 'Will' will also wither and then his soul will enter the cycle of reincarnation through the Eternal River of Life. That will be my first success.'
While Jimmy was mused in thoughts, Charles noticed a different kind of mark appeared in his mind. After checking the mark, he found out that he could restrict the Holem's Crown with his simple thoughts and became deeply astounded inside.
'But why did the Holem's Crown acting as if everything was still in its control?' He became puzzled for a moment and soon thought of a possibility.
'Is this the effect of the 'Contract of Imagination'? Heh, so even after signing the contract, this contract will make the opposite party believe in their own imagination, huh. Unless I restricted the Holem's Crown using the mark, I think the artifact won't suspect a thing.' Charles's lips curled upward subconsciously as he understood the 'Contract of Imagination' effect and said.
"That's it, Jimmy. You can go back to your tent now."
Meanwhile, Jimmy nodded his head, stood up from the ground, and walked out of the tent stealthily.
Charles watched Jimmy in amusement and soon lay on the mat to get some rest.
The next day morning,
The group packed their things and started walking into the deep woods one by one.
Unlike the last time, the group moved at a much slower pace while resting from time to time and saw a lone fortified castle near the summit of a small hill around dusk. As they went near the gloomy castle, all the Mystics unknowingly packed together like a flock of sheep and stared at the surrounding eerie tall trees cautiously.
Amid the evening mist and the rising red moon, the stone walls seemed to hold a supernatural stillness. Some windows, illuminated by reflected firelight, seemed to observe them from up high. The causeway that crossed the moat was slick with moss and algae, painting it an eerie green. The portcullis was down but was stuck two feet from the stone floor. Though this seemed to invite the curious members, it brought caution to the rest of them. The Mystics' torches reflected off the moat's water that seemed home to dark things that swam just out of sight.
The courtyard beyond the gate was dark except for a single fire brazier that burned atop an ancient fountain. Its dark water seemed to absorb all light and leave the Mystics' mouths dry with fear.
Daniel took the lead as he saw the half-stuck portcullis and went near the gate. After that, he lifted his head, looked at the interior area through the holes, and shouted.
"Castellan Rowley, I'm Daniel Baker, one of the seventieth Highlanders, came here to explore the Unexplored Forest under the Order of the 'Royals'. Please open the gate."
After a minute of long silence, a shadowy human figure surrounded by 14 well-equipped soldiers came from the other side and stopped near the gate. All of them held a unique type of long swords in their hands, and their black eyes appeared motionless like dead ones. On the other hand, the shadowy human wore a black hood and completely covered himself with a black robe-like cloth. If not for the fire torch he held in his right hand revealed his rough white-bearded face, others would have thought of him as a Necromancer!
"Why are there so many visitors coming here from the south in the past few days?" The shadowy human asked in a calm voice and then removed his black hood using his other hand. The shadowy human was a man in his fifties, and his face had multiple blade marks. His eyes were sharp as cat's ones, and his white beard almost knotted one another and formed into a bundle. He walked a few steps front, placed his hand below the portcullis, and pulled it up singlehandedly!
"The lever is not working due to the rust." He explained as he fully opened the portcullis and turned around.
"Is Orvin still alive?" He asked as he clapped his hand to remove the rust.
"Yes, My Lord." Daniel bowed his head lightly and responded with a polite tone.
"Hmm, that's a piece of good news. Now, those who want to explore the Unexplored Forest shall accompany me. As for others, you can go back to your peaceful land now." Without even waiting for Daniel to speak another word, Rowley cut him off and ordered.
But, nobody moved a muscle. All of them, including Emilia, stood there motionlessly and patiently waited for Rowley to lead them inside.
Luke Clark and Daniel didn't expect this outcome and were at a loss for words.
'Why is she not backing down?' Both communicate with their eyes, and soon Luke asked in confusion,
"Team Leader, what are you doing? Our escort job is over, right?"
Upon hearing his words, Emilia curled her lips upward and spoke with a mysterious smile on her face,
"No, we actually have another secret mission."
"Why haven't you mentioned anything to us?" Luke raised his eyebrows and asked in a gloomy tone. This was not supposed to happen!
"Hmm? Do I have to explain everything to you? If I didn't explain, are you going to disobey my orders?" Emilia's tone went cold as she stared at him with provocative eyes and asked.
"Team member doesn't have the right to disobey the Team Leader's orders." Andrew suddenly raised his hand, rubbed his nose, and warned him.
"Sorry for my rude behavior, Team Leader." Luke instantly noticed the change in Emilia's action and apologized.
"Follow me then," Rowley glanced at Emilia for a moment and then turned around before saying those words.
Other guards also followed his action and went around the gloomy castle. They first went near the ancient fountain, circled it once, and then walked on the grassy courtyard towards the Castle's left side.
At first, the Mystics thought that Rowley would allow them to stay in the castle for a day or two, but when they arrived at the other side, all of them knew that they were wrong.
On the other side, a total of hundred guards stood above the stone wall and were continually watching the outside like hawks.
"You can leave through the Exit Gate." Rowley didn't wait for the mystics to raise any questions and said while pointing his finger at the dark wide opened Iron Gate. It was as if they had already expected their arrival and seemed to be waiting for them to walk out!
Sighing heavily, Daniel nodded his head and then walked towards the Exit Gate. Other Mystics also followed after him, walked past the colossal stone wall, and soon appeared on the other side of the dark forest.
The forest was primordial. Centuries-old mutated trees with sprawling limbs guarded the darkness, blotting out any sunlight. Their bark was mottled and splotched as if the bubbled soup had been frozen in time on its surface. Clumpy combs of wet moss dangled from their rotten boughs. Underneath the moss, lethal mad Larkspur peppered the mulchy floor.
A pungent tang oozed from every sentient being in the forest. Wailing sounds ghosted through the trees. Whether it was from victim or victor, only the forest could tell. It was indeed a place to make one's veins freeze over. Everything considered edible in another forest was nauseating here. It left the Mystics with the sickening taste of their own blood. It was a forest to be avoided.
Before the Mystics could look around the dark forest, a creaky sound came from behind, and soon the guards shut down the Iron Gate.
Daniel took the lead with no other choice and went deep into the Unexplored Forest while others followed after him silently. After walking for a mile, he stopped at a plain-looking area and ordered the mystics to clear the woods, vines, and shrubs. Once they did that, Daniel made a ritual circle using different materials and started chanting in a completely different language. After a lengthy chant, he knelt at the center and kissed the ground thrice.
A second later, an illusionary glass-like thing came out from the ground and began to expand. Within seconds, the illusionary glass went past the mystics' bodies and soon covered the whole grassland area like a force-field!
"Chaos Creatures won't come near this domain, so you guys can go and take a rest now." Daniel stood up from the ground and said solemnly. Nodding, all of them went in different directions and started building tents.
