Heading to the mountains

Toz was the first to wake up, quickly followed by Nil. Aside from the fire they forgot to put out yesterday, Toz also noticed an overwhelming silence. He exchanged glances with Nil before heading up the nearest hill. Nil moved over to Lucy and started scanning their surroundings for anything abnormal. At first, he didn't notice anything but after taking a few steps and hearing the grass crunching under his feet it struck him. The air was hotter and dryer than last night, enough so to turn the grass that had previously been fine, into dried weeds. It was not that large of a difference in temperature, but since it covered everything it quickly dried out the grass and ground, it also kept the fire burning longer than it should have. All those observations led Nil to realize that it was because of something related to mana. As he kept thinking about what it could entail, he picked up Lucy and started moving toward Toz

While Nil pondered on the situation at the campsite, Toz had reached the top of the hill. Overlooking the hilly grasslands the sight he expected didn't enter his eyes, instead of the massive herd of deer that was there just last night, was an empty plain. And far away in the distance, a moving cloud of dust headed straight for the mountain range in the distance. Toz didn't know if they had slept too deeply to notice the herd leaving or if it didn't make as much noise as one could expect it to. Either way, the deer seemed to be moving in a hurry, considering how they had increased their pace. If Toz and his buddies continued walking at the same leisurely tempo as before, they would never catch up to the deer, they would also have to pick up the pace, especially if they wanted to see why the deer were in such a hurry.

So that's exactly what they did, or what Toz did at least. After listening to Nil's observations he had them return to their spiritual space before heading off.

Having refined his body twice at the second level, with one of the elements being metal, an element known for its durability and the endurance it could give to its users, Toz had no problem keeping up a light jog for half a day. Although it would be more taxing to his mental capacities and mana usage, he could also use magic to lighten his own weight a bit.

Even if Toz didn't catch up to the deer the same day, he wouldn't be far behind, not to mention that most of the deer wouldn't be able to keep that pace for more than a day before collapsing in exhaustion. They were, after all, mostly level one beings.

As he chased after the charging herd, Toz kept thinking about what Nil had told him earlier, he also made his own observations. He agreed with what Nil had said about it having to do with the mana, and with Toz's sensitivity to mana, he could tell that the fire attribute mana in the air was growing denser the closer he got to the mountain. Even if it was only a minuscule difference, the combination of it being in a low level plane, and the considerable distance between Toz's current location and the mountain, made it significant. Toz could think of several things that could increase the mana in the atmosphere, but things that could achieve what he was experiencing were rarer than rare.

Toz also realized that if whatever was producing mana, continued doing so, it wouldn't be long until the plane ascended from a level one to a level two plane. Although still low level, a plane ascending is still something that happens far from often.

The herd of deer's movement had kept triggering Toz's suspicions. Usually, an ember deer migration would move around wildly, without a set destination before scattering into smaller groups and spreading far away from each other. But this migration, although it hadn't moved in a straight line, had moved in the same general direction for as long as Toz had followed them at the very least.

If the deer had gathered and moved around with the mountain range, where large amounts of mana were spewing from, as the target, whatever was happening was either uniquely related to ember deer, or other wild beasts with good enough instinct might travel to the mountains as well.

Considering how it was affecting all of nature with the amount of mana pouring from the mountain range, it was most likely not something exclusive to ember deer, and thus there will definitely be chaos around and inside the mountain range.

A treasure that can push an entire plane to ascend would naturally be useful so Toz decided to at least try and grab it for himself, no matter how dangerous the competition. Of course only if the treasure is easily taken and with the assumption it is all because of a treasure and not some other phenomenon. The only thing that concerned him slightly would be how hot the air was becoming as the hills around him grew sparser and taller, and as he got closer to the actual mountains.

Compared to all the native fire attribute beasts he was at a clear disadvantage in the upcoming tussle. But not even that would deter Toz as he kept steadily running toward the mountain range. No longer just trailing behind the deer herd, he decided to find a path into the mountains for himself. With anticipation building in his chest, Toz couldn't wait to tell Nil and Lucy about his conjectures as soon as he arrived at the mountains.