In a Civilized Manner

Roos, predictably, arrived last.

The woman swept into the room with her usual flair, her white robe flowing behind her. She seemed completely unfazed by the tension in the air, giving the group of burly adventurers a quick, trickling wave with her fingers before plopping right down beside Edris.

"Morning!" she greeted, pulling out a small scroll from her bag and unrolling it across the table. “Ready for some adventure?”

The Blade Hunter group exchanged glances, clearly not as enthusiastic as Roos. If anyone had expected her to look like a serious adventurer, they were sorely disappointed, and the fact that she was accompanied by a child did little to ease the scepticism of the others.

The bearded man, appearing to be their leader, finally spoke up.

“This kid’s with you?” he asked, his voice deep and gravelly as his eyes flicked toward the dark-haired boy. “This seems hardly to be a situation for a school trip.”

Roos didn’t even blink.

“What can I say,” she replied, leaning back with a shrug. “Besides, you’ve got all the muscles. But we need both brains and brawn to make it work, know what I mean?”

The man’s brows twitched, but didn’t argue further. Roos turned her attention back to Edris. Although he'd remained silent during the exchange, his keen eyes never stopped observing the group.

Upon departure, a woman approached them from the counter. She was dressed in a crisp, formal uniform, her hair tied up in a neat bun.

“Everyone has arrived. You will now depart for the expedition shortly.” She spoke in a monotone voice that implied having done this a hundred times before. She handed each member a spatial pouch, its sleek design marked with runes to indicate its magical properties.

"The goal of your quest is simple," she explained. "Slay as many reekofliers as you can. The compensation you receive depends on what parts of the creature you collect. These pouches are designed to hold their body parts. Use them efficiently."

The guide’s instructions were succinct and impassive, her gaze never lingering on any one person for too long. Before she turned to leave, she smiled faintly and bowed.

"I wish you all the best of luck."

***

Appearing no different from a regular forest on the outside, the Dene Jungle was a whole other world from within.

As the group passed through its entrance, the shift from the vibrant edge of the wilderness to the depths of its shadowy interior was almost immediate.

At the jungle’s edge, sunlight still managed to pierce through the trees, casting dappled patterns on the forest floor. But moment they entered, the path ahead of them narrowed, and soon, the trees on either side seemed to press in, their thick branches arching overhead like natural tunnels.

The further the group walked, the more the world around them seemed to dim, as though the jungle itself was swallowing the light.

"Reekofliers are most active this time of year," Roos said casually as they walked. She kept her voice light, but Edris could tell she was half-bored with the information she provided. "Between the temperate and tropical peaks, their bodies are at their best quality. You know, back in the day, people would say that they’d evolved from mythical bird creatures called demiyus. Some say they even had feathers that glowed in the dark."

Edris, clearly uninterested, muttered, "I see."

The outer layers of the forest had been alive with the sounds of nature—birds chirping, insects buzzing, and the occasional rustling of small animals moving through the underbrush. But as they ventured deeper, those sounds grew faint, replaced by a stillness that felt too deliberate. It was as though the jungle was observing them, watching their every move in silence.

The fog began to roll in, meandering around their feet and seeping inwards like ghostly tendrils. It swirled around their ankles, clinging to their boots as if trying to pull them from beneath.

Edris couldn't help but glance over his shoulder every few steps, his skin prickling with the sensation of being watched. There was an unnatural stillness to the jungle, as if the very life of the place was holding its breath.

The hours dragged on as they combed the jungle. The mercenaries were growing restless, their patience wearing thin as they searched relentlessly for any sign of the reekofliers.

The fog had thickened, creating an eerie blanket that dulled the sounds around them. For a moment, it seemed they might not encounter anything at all.

To pass the time, one of the Blade Hunters, a burly man with a thick ginger beard, sidled up to Roos, shoving Edris aside in the process.

"So, what’s a woman like you doing on an expedition like this?" he asked, his tone oozing with misplaced charm. "And, uh, is the kid yours?"

Before Roos could respond, a small pebble suddenly bounced off the man's head, causing him to flinch and instinctively reach for his weapon. His eyes widened as he scanned the surrounding area, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword.

"What was that?" he muttered, his voice suddenly serious.

The rest of the group immediately went on high alert, scanning the jungle for signs of danger. The dense fog and rustling leaves only added to their anxiety. But then, a quiet voice interrupted the tension.

"Apologies."

The entire group turned to see Edris standing a few feet away, casually tossing another pebble up and down in his hand. He gave the ginger-bearded man a boyish smile. "Didn’t mean to do that."

Roos bit her lip, trying—and failing—not to laugh. She glanced at Edris, her eyes sparkling with amusement, but she quickly tried to compose herself. The Blade Hunter’s face flushed red with embarrassment and anger, and he took a threatening step toward Edris, clearly not amused by the kid’s antics.

Roos stepped in between them, stopping the man with a gentle hand on his arm.

"Relax," she said, her voice taking on an air of earnestness. "I’m sure it wasn’t intentional."

The man growled, clearly not convinced. "You better watch your brat—"

"Oh, no need for that," Roos interrupted. "I’m here for more important reasons, after all."

The man blinked, confused. "What do you mean?"

Roos sighed, her expression growing sombre.

"You see... I lost my husband not long ago. A tragic death." She lowered her voice into a whisper, eyes narrowing. "I saw his spirit last night. It floated right through this jungle."

His brow wrinkled into lines. "What?"

She leaned in closer, and the man stepped back, wariness flashing in his eyes. "Can’t you feel it? His presence. We’re getting closer."

"Feel what?"

"His spirit," she said. "It’s guiding us."

The man opened his mouth to argue, but the other mercenaries were already backing away from Roos, exchanging uneasy glances. Roos and Edris exchanged an entertained look, the latter giving him a subtle thumbs-up behind her back.

The group fell silent after that, clearly unwilling to engage with the "widow" and her eccentric claims. Edris tried to hide his smile, watching as they continued to eye Roos with caution.

It was at that moment.

A rustling sound echoed from the bushes nearby. The group of men immediately snapped into action, drawing their weapons and preparing for battle. They moved toward the noise, their formation tightening as they approached the source of the disturbance.

Under their vigilant eyes, a small rabbit darted out from the underbrush, harmless and oblivious to the commotion it had caused.

The jungle returned to its original silence.

Edris and Roos exchanged another glance, this time more serious.

At this point, they had been trudging through for what felt like hours. Dense fog swirled around their legs, making each step feel heavier than the last. The deeper they ventured inwards, the more the world seemed to blur together, each tree blending into the next, each patch of glowing moss indistinguishable from the last.

Each mercenary in the group grew on edge, their hands not straying far from the hilts of their weapons. The air was heavy with tension, and even Roos—usually so carefree—was now walking with quiet alertness, her eyes scanning the surroundings with more caution than usual.

Their steps pressed on, driven by nothing more than the quiet urgency that had taken root in the group.

It wasn’t until a mercenary, walking near the front, slowed his pace that anyone realised the shift.

“Hold up,” the man muttered, glancing up at the canopy above. His voice, gruff and uncertain, broke the silence that had settled over them.

Roos stopped, and her gaze followed. Edris, walking just behind her, frowned and did the same. The thick leaves above were barely visible now, swallowed by a deepening gloom that seemed to have crept in without warning.

The soft, bioluminescent glow from the fungi had become their only source of light, casting long, ghostly shadows over the ground. The darkness had settled in gradually, so much so that none of them had noticed it until it was nearly suffocating.

When they entered the jungle, it’d been only the beginning of day, yet the surroundings now appeared no different from twilight.

But what’s more concerning? Nobody had noticed when it became this way.

“It’s darker,” Edris said quietly, more to himself than to anyone else.

Roos turned, her eyes scanning the faces of the group. “How long have we been walking like this?”

No one answered immediately. It was as if the passage of time had been warped, stretched thin by the repetitive landscape and the thick fog that twisted their sense of direction.

One of the mercenaries grumbled, shaking his head as if trying to shake off the disorienting feeling. “What the hell… It feels like we’ve been walking in circles.”

Another mercenary shifted uncomfortably. “I didn’t even notice it getting dark. It just… happened.”

The group glanced around at the identical trees, the indistinguishable paths that led in every direction. The realisation that they had been potentially walking through the encroaching darkness without noticing sent a ripple of unease through them.

That’s when it appeared.

With a blur of speed and a sickening crunch, a massive bird-like creature bolted down from the trees above, its talons wrapping around the neck of the ginger-bearded man. His eyes widened in shock, but before he could react, the creature twisted sharply, snapping his neck with a bone-chilling crack.

Blood sprayed into the air, and the man’s body crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

The muffled thud dawned upon the rest of the group like a waving bell as they sprang into action, drawing their weapons and forming a defensive line.

Things didn’t end there.

"A reekoflier!" Someone cried. "Enter formation!"

The reekoflier let out a high-pitched screech, its wings flapping violently as it circled overhead, preparing for its next strike.

As the hunters struggled to regroup, a deafening hum filled the air, growing louder with each passing second. Under their abhorred gaze, a swarm of reekofliers descended in a blur of wings and talons. Their movements were almost impossible to track; they darted in and out of the fog, their wings creating a razor-sharp slicing sound as they buzzed around the hunters' heads.

One of the creatures swooped down, its wings contorting into a blade-like shape as it sliced through the neck of an unsuspecting mercenary.

Blood sprayed into the air once more as the man tumbled to the ground, his life extinguished in an instant. Panic surged through the group. The reekofliers were relentless, their speed and precision turning the scene into chaos as they cut down the hunters one by one, their necks cleaved cleanly as if cut by a scythe.

Edris barely had time to register what was happening before he felt Roos hurled him hard into a nearby bush.

He hit the damp ground with a thud, his body sinking slightly into the mud. The ground was still wet from the rain the day before, and the cold, viscous mud smeared across his clothes, covering him completely.

But as uncomfortable as it was, it was a blessing in disguise; the mud served as an effective camouflage, hiding him from the airborne predators.

From his concealed spot, the dark-haired boy watched as the chaos unfolded before him.

The buzzing of the reekofliers filled his ears, mixing with the shouts and cries of the dying hunters. It was nothing like he had imagined. Real combat was brutal, raw, and indiscriminate.

The bodies of fallen mercenaries lay strewn across the ground, their lifeless eyes staring into nothing. And amidst the carnage, Roos was nowhere to be seen. She had vanished as soon as the attack began, leaving him unaided, alone.

His eyes caught movement near him. The hunter who had tried to flirt with Roos earlier was crawling toward him, his legs gruesomely severed at the knees, leaving bloody stumps in their place. The man was twitching, his face pale from blood loss, but still alive—though barely.

As he dragged himself closer to Edris, their eyes met. For a brief moment, the man’s expression softened, as if expecting help.

Edris stared back. Instead of feeling pity or fear, he felt something else stir within him. He hadn’t moved from his hiding spot, covered in mud, but the bloodlust around him, the raw violence, was impossible to ignore.

He smiled, unknowingly, a small, innocent smile that was anything but.

The man’s eyes widened in horror. His trembling lips formed into some utterance, but it was too late. The life drained from his eyes, and his head slumped to the side, his body falling limp.

The pool of blood beneath him grew, seeping into the soil, and Edris found himself unable to look away.

The rush of blood, the final moments of life leaving the man—it was as if he had been the one to kill him.

“Edris!”

Roos’s familiar voice snapped him out of his trance.

Edris jerked his head up, heart pounding, only to see a reekoflier dive toward him with blinding speed, its wings slicing through the air. His hand instinctively gripped the dagger Roos had stuffed into his palm earlier, but his mind froze for a split second.

Move.

At the last second, he ducked, just as the reekoflier’s wings sliced through the space where his head had been moments before. The sound of its wings cutting the air buzzed in his ears, and he stayed crouched, his body trembling with adrenaline. He remained motionless, waiting for the right moment to surface, before finally rising, his gaze darting around for any sign of Roos.

He was sure he'd heard her voice, yet the woman was still nowhere to be seen.

Frustration gnawed at him. It felt like a test, a nasty one that she’d left him to deal with on his own.

The hunters were fighting for their lives, but it was clear they were outmatched. The reekofliers were agile, darting through the air with impossible speed. Most hunters, even Awakeneds, were best trained in swordsmanship, their physical strength useless against the swift, airborne predators.

Edris’s mind raced as he scrutinised their movements. These reekofliers, almost twice the size of his head, would hover in place for a moment and be across the field at the next. It didn't seem like they were capable of manipulating mana as humans did, yet every time he blinked, they seemed to teleport somewhere else, striking before anyone could react.

How was this possible?

Edris creased his brows at the oddity.

The next second, his eyes widened.

“It’s the light!” Edris shouted, his voice barely cutting through the chaos. “Don’t blink!”

It wasn’t just the reekofliers’ speed. With its thick fog and strange lighting, the jungle was warping their perception, amplifying the creatures’ movements and creating illusions.

His words reached the remaining hunters, and some stopped blinking entirely, their eyes wide in shock as they tried to track the creatures more carefully. It wasn’t perfect, but it gave them a slight edge.

Then out of nowhere, Roos appeared.

The woman manifested out of thin air, moving with an almost lazy grace as she sidestepped a reekoflier’s dive. Edris blinked in disbelief as he saw her evade the attack effortlessly, her movements fluid as if she had foresaw it.

She glanced briefly in his direction, her eyes widening slightly as she caught sight of his face—his bloodshot, red-rimmed eyes from keeping them open too long. For a moment, she seemed confused, but then a small grin spread across her face.

“I’m quite proud!” she called out, her tone playful even in the midst of danger.

Without warning, she stepped forward, and a burst of mana erupted beneath her feet. Her hair, tied up in a high ponytail until now, unscrambled itself, floating in the air as her eyes took on a vivid green hue, matching the colour of her long, dirt-green locks.

“You asked me what an elementalist was earlier,” she said, her voice carrying an edge of excitement.

Edris stared as the air around her seemed to shimmer, as if filled with tiny, glowing particles.

At first, he thought they were sparkles of some dust, floating aimlessly, but then he realised he was wrong.

Spirlings.

The spirlings, scattered across the swamp moments ago, began to converge around Roos. They cruised in a swirling mass of colour, shifting hues as they gathered in an ever-tightening spiral.

The air buzzed with their energy, and Edris noticed that the reekofliers, once aggressive and relentless, had frozen mid-air. They hovered in place, trembling.

Roos levitated above the blossom of colours, her dress fluttering around her as the spirlings wove through the air. She glanced down at Edris, her smile widening.

“Look closely,” she said, voice brimming with life. “This is what you call an elementalist.”

As the words left her lips, the spirlings erupted in a dazzling display of light.

The reekofliers—once the predators—had become the prey.