Chapter 8- Rin

After dealing with the aftermath I settled into the cart and kept my eyes on the forest. My wrist glowed green for a half second prompting me to check my console. With a quick look around me making sure the coast was clear, I opened the console.

Adventuring Rank Old: 7

Adventuring Rank New: 8

New Ability: Land Walker

Details: You have become so intune with nature that difficult areas to move no longer affect your speed of movement. Non-enchanted plants no longer cause harm or entanglement if you pass through them. Enchanted plants now have a harder time to affect you in addition.

New Ability: Poison Adept

Details: Your connection to the earth now allows you to make potent poisons far stronger than normal. When making a poison, the ingredients bond easier than before bypassing poison resistance features. You now have resistance to the poison effects of regular poison.

"Well that's perfect," I mutter quietly, "just in time too with the most potent ingredients collected a moment ago"

Rem opens an eye from his spot, "oh? What did you get?"

"Boosted defenses and some tricks," I reply.

Rem slides over and whispers, "You recognize the elven lassie?"

Whispering back, "maybe but at the same time the chances that it is her…"

"I know but elves with the shadow marks are far and few between, she kinda reminds me of that child we picked up on the way to the basecamp after the citadel fell. What was her name again?" Rem says quietly.

"Her name was…" I pause, "Rosa… Rosa Shadow-Star"

"Right, I forgot we gave her our family name when the general questioned us after we rendezvoused at the camp."

"If it is her then our cover is as good as blown, and that means this entire caravan is not only full of mages, but trained resistance fighters."

Rem sighs before closing his eyes again, "not to mention Miles has gotten an eye on pretty girls. The poor boy, what are we going to do about that?"

"For now...nothing," I reply, and peek at Miles who is driving carefully, "these are just suspicions and he doesn't need to be distracted by our concerns of the past."

"You're right," Rem says, "I hate using him like this but maybe he can get close to her without making an unwanted scene."

"True but I saw the way Sora looked at your fake console, it's almost like she's seen it before."

"Well it's too late now, lets rest before we have to set up camp"

"Fine," I agree with Rem, after a moment my eyes also close.

[That evening]

I wake up quickly as I feel the cart stop moving. Getting up I see that we found a glade off the side of the road between the conifer forest to the south and the swampy sparse forest to the north.

"We're here!" Miles says loud enough for us to hear while jumping off the cart.

"How far did we go?" I ask Miles.

"We made decent ground, maybe ten and five clicks or so," He replies.

Rem and I get up, grabbing our gear as we hop out of the cart. I look around some more and the others are quickly setting up tents. The two half-orcs we saw yesterday seem to be building a large community fire in the center of the glade. Looking a little past the glade the start of a steep mountain side covered in small trees and bushes.

"Hey guys," I say to the boys, "I'm going on a walk up that mountain-side a bit, I'll be back in an hour or less."

"Be safe," Rem says while pulling our tent out of his bag of dimensional storage. Miles nods and goes to help Rem set up for the night. With that I grab my bag and start walking through the woods.

I found it quite interesting how the southern half of the glade featured more lush trees and plenty of cover. Keeping an eye out as I walk nothing seems to be causing a threat. Hell with it there weren't even squirrels. Nothing else really caught my attention until I reached the northern half of the woods around the glade.

The flora of the northern area was more sparse in trees with medium to small prickly bushes everywhere. Thanks to my new skills it was not much of a problem. I kneel to the ground as I notice some strange tracks.

"They almost seem humanoid," I whisper quietly.

A small rustle sounds a decent amount away and I draw my shortsword. The sword glows lightly as darkness begins to be more apparent as the sun sets. Trying to listen for any more clues and visual signs I keep my senses on high alert. Unfortunately for me, nothing else moved. Whatever it was, had skills in stealth and movement abilities. I took the opportunity to cast some fog over the area and make my way back to the camp.

Upon my arrival the people seem to be in better spirits than earlier around the fire. Rem is also there but cleaning his weapon.

"Where's Miles?" I ask, sitting beside Rem.

Rem points, "He's across from us charming the lady Sora."

"Already?" I ask.

Rem chuckles, "You weren't so different yourself when we were his age."

"True but does he know what kind of danger we're in currently?" I whisper.

"No and he will find out on his own. We can't baby him forever." Rem whispers back.

"Haha!" I laugh loud enough to be heard by some people near us, "next time you won't beat me at the kill count number!"

With that, the ones trying to eavesdrop back off not so subtly and go back to enjoying a meal. A second later I can hear Miles and Sora laughing about something. Eventually we all head to our tents for the night.