Return to Jorgaldur Volume II: the druid archer

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The scars of the battle were evident on the ground and on the trees, which had returned to their normal state of slumber. It would take time to regain their strength, if they managed to survive the miasma that surrounded the place, and that, perhaps one day, would reach them. About the miasma that had entered, there was hardly anything left. It wasn't enough to subdue them, and it was being slowly purified by the plants.

Goldmi looked tenderly at the little baby unicorn, who seemed to know nothing but sleep and feed on her mother's milk. He had tried a few times to stand up, without success.

Beings similar in appearance to them, such as horses, can achieve this just a few minutes after their birth. It is necessary for them if they want to survive, as they may need to run alongside their mothers at any time if they were attacked.

However, unicorns aren't only much slower growing, but it is extremely rare that they can be in danger at birth, as they usually do so in their sacred land, under the protection of hundreds of their kin.

The lynx was next to her, licking her whiskers after a delicious cream and chocolate cake. This time, her sister had decided to reward the feline's effort, and, why deny it, her own. The only difference was that she had wiped herself with a napkin.

The unicorn raised her head and looked at them. She didn't say anything, but it was clear to them that she was asking them to come closer, through some kind of telepathic communication that didn't convey words but purpose.

They did it without fear. There was no reason to fear a being whom the spirits themselves treated as a friend. And indeed, one of those spirits was there, looking at them, happy.

The tip of the horn glowed for an instant when it touched them, and each one felt the mother unicorn's gratitude in her blessing. Later, they would discover that this blessing wasn't just an ornament, but incredibly powerful. It doubled mana and energy recovery, and experience gain. It was something very few could get, and everyone would want it if they knew about it.

It isn't a blessing easily granted, since it isn't easy to obtain recognition from a unicorn. In fact, centuries could go by without anyone getting it. The fact that that same unicorn would grant it to another visitor a few dozen years later, for saving that same cub, is something that some would call chance, and others fate.

They had reached level 30 after taking down hundreds of those corrupted beings. At 28, the elf had recovered Billiards, which, added to an arrow, allows it to bounce off the next target. It can be added multiple times, thus allowing the arrow to bounce off once for each bless, and it was very useful in some mazes. She had it at 10, among other reasons because, with Gjaki and Eldi, they played a kind of billiards in three dimensions with arrows, a game in which Goldmi always won. At least, until her companions decided to increase the difficulty just for her.

At 29, there was Vegetable Home, a spell that combines the bind to nature with magic, thus allowing her to create a shelter with plants and see through it. From the outside, it looks like a mere tangle of branches, and its defensive power is far superior to Eldi's Sleepyhead's Shield, although it has the disadvantage that it can't be used without vegetation. She had it at 3, which could provide her with three hours of protection.

And at 30, she had unlocked Accelerate, which, when it is applied to an arrow, increases its speed, making it more difficult to dodge. It can also increase penetration, though much less than Piercing Arrow, or cause the arrow to break on collision if not careful. She had it at 6, as very few enemies were able to dodge her arrows in the game and force her to use it.

The skill at 28 had been Hilt, which delivers a quick blow with the hilt of the dagger. It is very useful to recover after a dagger attack has missed, and the right positioning or the balance has been lost. Not only does it allow to regain the balance, but the surprise blow can momentarily stun the enemy. She had it at 4, because despite its usefulness, she hadn't had many chances to use it in the game.

At 29, Lunge. It allows jumping forward quickly with the sword, so covering a distance of up to two meters and surprising the enemy with a quick thrust. Since it is very useful for closing distances, she had it at 10, as it used to be one of her first moves when she wanted to fight on melee.

And at 30, Camouflage II, which allows to mask the smell, so making the other Camouflage more effective. She had it at 8, as it was useful in advanced infiltration missions, but there weren't that many of them.

She had also raised Purifying Touch to 8, Life Link to 6, Wind Abyss and Naughty Branches to 4, and Nature Wall and Alarm to 5.

For her part, the lynx had recovered Roar, a skill that scares and intimidates enemies, so it can make them to flee, disturb their concentration, or simply make them fight in fear, maybe trembling. It must be said that she was delighted to have it back.

The two sisters stayed there for a few days, since they were worried about the unicorn, who was recovering very slowly. And they had become fond of the little one who, although he slept most of the time and could barely stand, seemed to somehow recognize his saviors. Or he had just instinctively licked their faces, by mimicking what her mother did to him.

For his part, Pikshbxgro felt more relaxed than he had been in years. He was radiant and cheerful, as if he had forgotten what was outside that little bubble, outside that little oasis in a sea of ​​corruption.

Not only had the imminent danger disappeared, but the "little one-horn" had been born, and the sorrow and suffering from his mother had disappeared. And last but not least, his beloved Aunt Omi, whom he thought he would never see again, was there with him.

That she had saved him again was something that he attributed to fate, since spirits and fairies strongly believe in that supposed mysterious force that directs and unites the fate of living beings.

He couldn't help but remember when he first met her, when their paths crossed and his fate changed.