Mist Tide and Ambush

"Once we pass through the Grimlin Mountains ahead, we'll reach Minport," Martin announced confidently from the front, leading the way. However, Lilia suddenly halted.

"Martin, why is there such dense mist on the mountain?" Lilia asked, scrutinizing the thick fog that blanketed the mountain ahead. Although she sensed no sorcery at work, something about the mist felt unnatural.

"Oh, that's just the mist tide," Martin replied casually. "The Grimlin Mountains are close to the coast, so this happens every April and May. It can mess with visibility, and adventurers unfamiliar with the area might get lost, but for me, Martin, it's no big deal."

"If we wait, how long will it take for the mist to clear?" Lucian asked. His system's appraisal confirmed that this phenomenon was natural, similar to fog banks in certain mountain ranges, but his unease remained.

Martin hesitated, counting on his fingers. "It depends… If we're lucky, the mist tide might clear in a day or two, but if not, it could linger for weeks, even a month."

Lilia weighed her options before pressing forward, stepping into the fog. Her students and servants followed, leaving Lucian and Carrie at the rear.

"Let's go," Lucian said to Carrie, eyes flickering with resolve as he sped up to catch up with the group.

"Visibility is even worse than I expected," Lucian muttered as he entered the mist. His magical perception, however, seemed unaffected. To be cautious, he discreetly retrieved a handful of insect eggs from his pocket and cast the low-level detection spell, Insect Guide.

Without using the spell's camouflage effect, Lucian commanded the insects to hatch and scout the area as the bugs spread out.

"Got it!" Martin suddenly ran forward, almost disappearing from view.

Lilia's left hand twitched as she prepared to cast a spell, but Martin stopped, bending down to dig up a white mushroom. "This is it! Just rinse it off, and it's ready to eat—delicious raw," he said, grinning.

Lilia glared at Martin, her eyes narrowing as she withdrew her hand. The group resumed their journey, though Martin frequently darted ahead to forage more of the round, white mushrooms.

As they ventured deeper into the mountains, the mist grew thicker until the visibility dropped to barely a meter. The entire area was cloaked in a dense, milky haze.

"Stay close, Carrie," Lucian said, his unease intensifying. His scouting insects were yielding little information in the fog, reducing him almost to blindness.

Carrie gripped her Origin Bow tightly, scanning the surroundings nervously.

"Lilia, hold up!" Lucian called, striding toward the front as his sense of foreboding grew sharper.

Lilia, noticing the danger, grabbed Martin's arm just as he was about to continue forward. Her eyes took on a steely glint. "What's wrong?" Martin asked, oblivious to the tension. Just then, arrows shot from the thick mist toward Lucian and the others.

"Watch out!" Lucian raised his hand, summoning an ice shield to block an arrow aimed at his chest. As the arrow struck, he saw it was crafted from vine—a plant-like arrow, meticulously shaped.

"Fey work," Lucian murmured, producing two large vials filled with a faintly purple toxin he'd prepared specifically for fey encounters.

While Lucian and Lilia managed to defend themselves, others in the group were less fortunate. Cries of pain echoed as some weaker apprentices and servants were struck. Two of them fell instantly, hit in fatal spots, while Martin collapsed with an arrow protruding from his forehead, dropping the mushroom he'd just dug up.

The attack ceased as abruptly as it began, leaving the thick fog eerily silent.

"Check for casualties," Lilia commanded, her face tense. The surprise attack had taken a toll, and the fey's uncanny ability to locate them while evading detection spells left her deeply unsettled.

"It's likely dryads," Lucian said, approaching Lilia and handing her the vine arrow. "In forests, they can reach their full potential, using trees and plants to gain advantages we can't anticipate."