The Silent Forest

We awoke early in the morning to continue our journey through the grass land. After a few days I understood the strange way humans had it of casting spells. They cast spells through runic formations of sorts. Like channeling there mana in a very particular way to achieve a result. Though the way they do it seemed strange at first it slowly started to make since. The way I have been using magic has been similar to how creatures use natural magic, forming a construct out of the energy causing increased control but increased mana cost and wasted time. With enough time and practice the human way of spell casting could truly be efficient.

After a few more days I slowly started to understand there basic formations. There entire formations have to be built by scratch using mana. This requires intense concentration and control, though the process sounded easy enough on paper it ended up being much more difficult than anticipated. Though I have been practicing for days I still haven't managed an outline formation. The way they use it are truly weird. They make most spells using the same outline, usually a circle, and from there they go on and put hundreds of formations in the previous formation to form a perfect spell. Though the basic spells only require a handful of runes inside the first formation it still requires excellent control over the mana, you have to be able to use it in a fine tuned manner that doesn't seem compatible with my current instincts.

Though a week past on the road I still haven't been able to make any process whatsoever on the whole process it seems this is something to work on later. After some rest and a lot of distance traveled I see the familiar forest on the horizon. "Double, where will be going after we enter the forest?" I ask the young mage. He soon replies "Any way that can take us far away from here. The forest of Vyin is very large. It could take us months to cross and on the other side of this vast land mass are many new kingdoms and lands beyond my knowledge. They are so far away that I we over here don't usually have much communication with them."You are very weak compared to the creatures in this forest as I am sure you know by now. I ask you be careful no matter what you do, you have to be on constant guard. I have made some truly dangerous enemies by now, though traveling in the forest won't be as a disadvantage as it would have a few weeks ago it is still truly dangerous." After looking at double for a long time he replies " I know, this is the risk I was willing to take when I decided on helping you"

Double is a true friend I think to myself as we make our way to the outskirts of the forest. Though I feel almost at home in this strange environment something is off with the forest. The forest of Vyin is silent. Not a single bird can be heard chirping, not even the bugs buzzing could be heard in this empty forest. I slowly move forward, each second a branch cracks and makes me shiver at the vast amount of sound it causes. The outskirts of the forest are empty. Without life. After a little bit of walking I finally see something, It is the corpse of a great bear. It's body is bone white and devoid of life as it lies in a pool of a strange black substance. The feel of a Wretch invades the aura of the area. This must have been done by a Wretch, no other creature could leave such a bloody mess.

A ominous feeling invades my senses as I feel the peculiar feeling of someones eyes on me. A tree slowly moves, almost out of it's own will as something peels its way from the bark of the grand tree. A woman made of bark stands before me staring at me with a cold look on her face. "You have caused this." her voice echoes inside my mind, it sounding strangely hollow. After a few moments I reply " I can't tell you what I have done or not done, I have just entered the forest and saw this weird sight for the first time as yourself". The strange bark lady scoffs almost and continues "You are quite stupid if you expect me to believe you, you are the one that killed the mana pool crocodile correct?" I start to speak before being ran off by her once more "For a matter of fact I don't even need you to confirm yourself, I can smell it's blood on your snake like body." The strange woman approaches me and touches my skin with her rough hands. "You have caused quite the ruckus in our beautiful forest of Vyin. We demand something for your reckless abandon" She seems almost coy at this statement.

"I don't know what it is you want from my friend but If you want it from him you want it from me" double shouts in the to the strange creature. The women looks at the human and as soon as the bright green eyes make contact double sacks to the floor unconscious. "How impudent of him to interrupt us. As I was saying we require something in return for your folly. Something very important." after she speaks this her eyes glaze over as a new person starts to speak to me. In an almost happy voice she continues "We offer you four choices. One of them is to take a special quest from us, the second would be to take the place of the mana crocodile. The third would be to pay us off with an item of great importance, something above the legendary rank would be acceptable." She stops while laughing slightly and then continues "The forth hehehe is would be you to offer your life to us, the forest."

The terms seem crazy and this person seems strange, or should I say persons? It is strange for this thing to demand so much. After a little while something sets in, it called itself the forest of vyin. Does that mean what I think it means?!

"I suppose I must accept the first option, for I cannot accomplish any of the other tasks." the creature looks at me almost sadly as a new look takes on it's face. "Thank you for accepting our task. Please wait while the quest is issued" Says a strange mechanical voice. After a short while the system notification dings in the background. "We thank you for choosing this choice, any other and we would have held some form of anger but if you finish this quest you will not only be relieved from all your sins but rewarded for your great deed." The creature backs into the tree as the creature seemingly disappears into the tree.

Double wakes up as soon as it leaves and groggily rubs his eyes as I eye the new quest given to me by the system.

<Slay the Wretched King>

Difficulty: Impossible

Description: The Dryad of The Forest of Vyin has issued you the quest to save the forest of Vyin by killing the Wretched King but do you really dare?

Requirements: Kill the Wretched King in one month

Rewards: Blessing of the Forest. Champion of The Forest Title. 100,000 EXP

Penalties: Instant death

WHAT THE HECK IS THIS BULLCRAP MISSION?!?! Seriously what does this forest expect of me, a mere snake? After banging my head into the ground for around 10 minutes double finally intrudes upon my private self torture. "Whats going on, why was I asleep?" Double asks tiredly. After stopping banging my head I feel horrible I then snappily reply "The forest just sent me on a suicide mission" I then continue to bang my head into the earthy floor of the forest. "What do you mean the forest sent you on a death quest? The forest isn't a person. And how could it be suicide for someone as powerful as you?" The questions seemed to be muddled with sleep as he asks them slowly. "The forest told me to kill the Wretched King, how the hell am I supposed to do that when I could barely kill the prince?"

Double looks at me as if I just lost my mind. "I think it's about time to explain to you something" he says rather seriously. "There is no such thing as a Wretched King, nor a prince for that matter. It just doesn't exist, the so called wave was strange and all but definitely not enough for us to say there is a kings of such mentally gone creatures" Double says with utmost certainty.

"Then why did I get a Quest from the system to kill him?" I yell fiercely at him while banging my head violently.