7. The Jury of the Black Forest

The outskirts of the Black Forest were guarded by a thick wall of dead trees. Frost sprinted down the path towards the child-like voice which cried “Run! Run! There’s a big skewered beast inside of the Black Forest!” over and over like a haunting siren.

She had no reason to investigate. But her body moved before she could rationally think. Her profession had left her prone to acting near instinctively when there was a cry for help. It was no different here, although, as dirt and grass kicked into the air behind her, she deeply understood the danger she may plunge herself into.

But she could not ignore that cry for help. Her heart forbid her from turning a blind eye.

Frost was not especially built for cardio, but her AGI allowed her to move far faster than ever before. Between silent pants and sweat pouring down her cheeks, she saw a break in the blackened tree lines and saw the children of the village surround something.

No. Someone. It was another child from what she could tell. Within just tens of meters into the Black Forest were around 10 children and the strange-looking child. It repeatedly cried the same phrase over and over again as if it were possessed.

It was unnatural. To the point where Frost froze by a nearby tree as if she had seen a ghost.

What the hell is going on there? Those children aren’t doing some sort of ritual, right?

Far from it. She carefully scanned her surroundings before venturing shallowly into the Black Forest. Every hair stood on each end as she snuck from tree to tree to get a closer look.

“Hit it! You Demon!”

“Gross Demi-Human! Feathers on your head and dumb ears!”

“It’s your fault the Blessed don’t visit anymore you disgusting Insectid! Die!”

Frost could not believe her eyes. Cradled in their arms were stones which were thrown at the half-creature half-human looking child without restraint. Upon closer inspection she noticed that this person was actually older than her voice alluded to.

Still plenty young, but was more in line with Cer’s size. The strangest thing was that it did not even attempt to defend itself. Rocks were thrown at its face, limbs and back as scarlet blood soiled the black earth.

Her ankle was caught underneath an outcropping root, leaving her at the mercy of the children’s prejudice. The only thing they did was cry out the same phrase.

“Run! Run! The big skewered beast is –!”

“Shut up! Why won’t you go away and die! You’re a monster so stop talking in our language!”

… so that sort of thing exists in this world as well. I figured something was up with the way Cer spited everyone outside of the Nexus. But for children to display such cruelty is unforgivable.

It caused her blood to boil. It was sickening. Children or not, they were going to kill that person if she did not intervene. Frost shouted at the top of her lungs with scalding rage.

“HEY! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU KIDS DOING!?”

All 10 children instantly spilled their stones over their toes in fright. In the instant they saw Frost rapidly approach they scattered out of the Black Forest like roaches.

“It’s the Blessed healer! Our woodlands are saved!”

“Take care of that monster Blessed visitor!”

“Go kill it for us!”

The children twisted her rescue into an execution. By the time she reached the trapped figure they had all disappeared into the veil of light beyond. It was only her and the bloodied child now in this slumbering forest.

“Run! Run!” The child cried, clawing at the ground in a futile attempt to retreat.

“Tch. Look what they did to you…” Frost painfully spoke through clenched teeth as she carefully crouched down in front of them, not wishing to startle the poor thing any more than it already was.

Now that she had a closer look, the child was a young, brown-skinned girl of an unknown race.

She had tangled, long pale hair and golden eyes that cut through the darkness like a steady flame. Tiny feathers protruded from certain areas around her body, namely behind her ears which were strange fur-like flaps that reacted to every sound. They were on the sides of her head rather than the top like the others she had seen.

A tail made from fur protruded from the base of her back and was tipped with a feathered bulb. It appeared more like an organ than some sort of accessory. Razor sharp teeth lined the insides of her mouth like that of a shark.

Her left hand had its fingers replaced with blackened, ridged claws. They were heavily weathered with dirt, grit, and dried blood. Frost could only hope that it didn’t originate from somewhere else. Finally, she was draped in ragged cloth made from feathers and hide.

A chimera came to mind, or at least something avian-like given the feathers and talons she possessed. If those races even existed in this world, anyway.

“There’s a big skewered beast inside of the Black Forest!” The girl yelled again as Frost prepared to heal her. Surprisingly, she didn’t have that many wounds. Just small cuts. But these gushed with blood as if an artery had been severed clean.

“Hold still for a second. I’m going to touch your leg, ok?” Frost carefully reached for her as the girl winced in fright.

Terror. Those eyes were filled to the brim with terror. Frost loosened herself up and put on a warm smile for her.

“Sorry. Just listen to my voice. It won’t take more than a second.” She spoke almost motherly to the girl and gently touched her shin. “[Greater Healing]. There, better?”

Particles of light surrounded the girl, and, in an instant, all of her minor injuries disappeared. The bloodstains remained unfortunately. If Frost didn’t know any better, she would have thought this girl had eaten straight from an animal’s carcass.

The girl looked up at Frost curiously now, her brilliant eyes almost judging her. It held a certain power that gripped at her heart. She gulped and wondered if this girl was the beast of the Black Forest.

“Can you understand me?” She asked, opening the girl’s status.

LEVEL : 65      ORIGIN : Folklore      HP : 7,050      ATT : 100      MAG ATT : 0      AGI : 30

Frost’s heart sunk into an arctic sea. Thankfully, this confirmed that the girl was not a Corrupted. However, that did not change the fact that she possessed abnormally high stats in comparison to her. She instantly drew her hand away and shuffled backwards in fear.

I-I’d die in almost one hit. She’s friendly, right? She didn’t hurt the children so I’m guessing she wouldn’t try to hurt me. Not after I healed her but… did she even need my help in the first place?

“Skewered beast?” the girl spoke with a sudden, quite tone as she tilted her head innocently.

“Huh? Oh. You can’t speak normally?” Frost bit down on the fear.

In the end, this girl was just a child. Or so she hoped.

“Big. Beast inside. Run?”

“… I was going to ask what other languages you speak but…”

What language am I even speaking to begin with? It must be because of the Blessing.

Frost digressed and, with every caution taken, slowly moved closer to the girl’s tapped ankle.

“Hey. I’m going to keep talking to you. It’d get awkward fast if I don’t, and I don’t want you to get startled if I do anything sudden. I’ll get you out.”

“Black Forest there’s inside a big skewered beast.” The girl spoke, titling her head to the other side as her eyes innocently mellowed.

“Yeah, yeah. Skewered beast. Isn’t weird that you’re in here in the first place?” Frost asked a pointless question as she began to dig at the soil around the girl’s foot with her bare hands.

“But level 65? C’mon… this is supposed to be a beginner’s area. It’s like having the endgame dungeon right under the nose of the main starting point.”

“Big skewer?”

Frost ended up chuckling in response.

“Skewers huh. I love skewers. You know what, that reminds me. I haven’t eaten a single damned thing since arriving here. I usually go on for hours without eating but I’ve steadily been getting hungrier. Ugh… why’d you have to bring up skewers?”

“Black forest beast. Run skewers there.”

“I hope they’ll make skewers for tonight’s feast. I’ll even lend them a hand. After getting to the bottom of the bullshit those kids pulled on you. Do humans hate other races in this world?”

“Skewer?”

“Haaaah. Yep. Skewers.”

The child seemed elated when she heard this. A tiny sliver of a smile formed on her face as Frost finally dug her leg free.

But she didn’t run. Neither did she pounce or attack. The girl just fondly stared into Frost’s eyes as if peering deeply into her soul. When Frost backed away with only one step, the girl took two steps forward after pushing herself to her feet.

< Realization Criteria Reached >

< Do you wish to grant Jury your Blessing? >

< No | Confirm >

“What the hell is that supposed to be? Is that an unmentioned side effect of Greater Healing?” She wondered aloud as the girl just stood there, consuming her with those golden eyes.

Blessing. It doesn’t say it’s the Blessing of the Nexus but just a ‘Blessing’. Is that what’s she’s waiting for?

I don’t have a reason to bless her, but I also don’t have any reason to reject her. It’s likely tied with Greater Healing anyway.

She took one last look at the girl and steeled her heart.

Confirm.

< Jury has successfully been Blessed >

The girl’s eyes glistened like a star for a brief moment as they widened by tenfold; like she had just seen the world for the first time. Frost wondered if something was wrong and was about to check until a vibrant light rivaling that of the sun shone from the depths of the Black Forest.

“RUN! RUN! THERE’S A BIG SKEWERED BEAST INSIDE OF THE BLACK FOREST!” She shrieked at the top of her lungs and shoved Frost away with tremendous power. It caused her to skid back on her heels as dust kicked into the air.

Frost didn’t need to be told twice. The girl shoved her again from behind, granting her a minor boost in speed. Before she knew it, her legs were moving on their own. Her blood ran like ice as her fight or flight response overruled all rational thinking.

Her body begged her to keep running. An unprecedent infusion of fear clawed at the forefront of her mind.

If that girl was level 65, then the beast she feared within these parts was vastly more powerful. She glanced back only to see that the girl has disappeared into the darkness, her silhouette melding with the foreboding tree lines.

She made it out of the Black Forest panting for dear life. It felt like she had run a marathon in that short distance. The adrenaline lingered for some time as she distanced herself from the blackened trees, staring deeply within at the golden light.

“A level 65 girl and a monster it fears... Tch… what shit luck this village has.” Frost spat, hunched over as she clutched her knees. “Dammit… ugh. I wonder if that kid’s alright. No. What am I saying? A level 65? The average level of the village was less than 10. It could rip the entire village apart if it wanted to.”

Once she felt like she was in the clear, her eyes naturally fell onto the Nexus in the faraway skies. She stared at it for a long while before they returned to the edge of the Black Forest.

… I was told the Village of Virt was the safest place in Grandis. Did Iscario make a mistake? But then again, it was the only option I had.

She had to wonder why such a desolate place existed beside the Village of Virt. Frost was visibly irritated that she knew nothing at all and deeply sighed. Surely the village would have more information about the Black Forest.

Not that she would venture into it again. It was, in a way, morbid curiosity.

Jury… what a strange name.

Frost of all people thought to herself.