Violet and Luna stood in quite the daze as the storm which shouldn't be leaving for another couple of days just dissipated before their eyes and seemingly at the request of Violet. "How did you even manage to do that?" Luna asked her.
"I said please?" Violet said in a tone that suggested she didn't quite believe it to be that but was hopeful it would be that simple.
To that Luna just snorted before stating. " I somehow doubt that to be the case but as it currently stands that is our best bet I suppose." She let out a long sigh before shaking her head and trying to perk herself back up. "Well regardless the storm is now gone so we don't have to worry about getting wet anymore?"
However when she didn't get a reply she looked over at Violet who was staring into space. She was about to ask what she was looking at before she too got a notification.
[Announcment:
With the breaking of the shackles on the Endless Forest it has made its first move to reclaim its lost territory. The Endless Storm shall be retuning to the East.]
"Oh" was all Luna could come up with.
"Umm so it wasn't me that turned the storm off?" Violet asked with a hint of disappointment in her voice.
"Well apparently not." However, sensing her companions feeling of saddness Luna tried to cheer her up somewhat. "But if you manage to become the Champion Beast that was mentioned then you will be able to apparently have some control over the entire Forest!"
That did in fact cheer Violet up. "Oh yeah I forgot about that! I remember that when I first woke up the system told me I was participant no 1 of 1,000,000 so I just have to stay the best and I will be the champion!" Luna blinked at that revelation, as this was the first time Violet had spoken of this. But she also understood the implications this presented, if Violet was participant number 1 then it was likely that the entire thing was started because she was born.
Slightly stunned at realising this Luna could only shake her head at the absurdity of the entire situation.
Violet however only really considered it for a couple of seconds before deciding that she would just have to start hunting down more champions and continue to get stronger!
With that in mind she turned to Luna and spoke up, "so we hunt!" Chuckling Luna could only agree. And so after an eventful morning the two evolved companions ventured out into the forest to test out their new and improved strength.
As they left Violet tested out her new abilities as she did wonder how her new void abilities worked, and to her surprise they acted quite similar to how her arcane and shadow skills worked just now combined into one. She could still manipulate the shadows to hide them, just not the shadows darkened and it became considerably harder to notice them whilst hidden this way.
Similarly her attack spells all acted the same way now they were just coloured violet with veins of void running through them.
Thankfully it seemed like more of the local monsters had started to return to the area after the initial first couple days of the storm and the original hoard of monsters had passed. Saddly however, it seemed that only weak monsters remained in the area. Still though the two happily blitzed their way through any weak beast they found that looked interesting.
[Your group has defeated Storm Hawk lvl 6 exp rewarded]
[Your group has defeated Vine Snake lvl 8 x3 exp rewarded]
Whilst stalking through the shadows they spotted a familiar shape lurking ahead, recognising the shape to be a Shadow Tiger but also realising that it hadn't spotted them just yet Violet and Luna quickly prepaired for a tough fight. Violet started the fight off with a void spear and launched it off with Luna charging after leaping into the air and spinning as she unleashed a ice strike empowered kick at the monster.
BOOM, THUD, CRACKLE
The spear struck first, it retained its explosive properties as then it was arcane but it also now had some of the properties of shadow as after the initial explosion it left a residue or void that seemed to slowly eat away at the creature. However just as it staggered back from that blow Lunas ice empowered heel connected with its head. Its head instantly froze over and then proceeded to shatter instantly killing the opponent.
[Your group has defeated Shadow Tiger lvl 12 exp rewarded]
"That was a lot easier than the last time we fought one of those." Violet pointed out
"Yeah I guess we have just gotten that much stronger!" Luna said quite happy with herself.
But even after all that Violet had yet to level, Luna had leveled once but she said that she already felt quite close to leveling up before they even left for the hunt. Stil it was an honest days work and seeing as they had been out for several hours at this point they decided to head back to the cave with the tigers corpse carried by a void shield behind them.
Back at the cave the duo go to work skinning and cutting up the tiger into enable chunks for cooking. Then as Luna got about setting up the fire Violet got to work seeing if she could use her void in a similar way to her shadows and clean up the hide, after all it was quite soft and now that they had both grown the gerbil fur might not fit them both quite so comfortably as before.
Thankfully it seemed that her ability to clean hides had not been compromised, if anything it had been improved by the void as she was able to clean it up in no time and they were soon left with a lovely new bedroll.
With the fire now working Luna set about cooking up the meat for the two of them. Seeing this violet made her way over to Luna whilst dragging over the new hide and set it down behind her. Seeing this Luna happily sat down on it and violet soon curled up around her allowing Luna to lean back into the dragon whilst violets head now rested on the girls lap ready and awaiting both sustenance and skritches.
It was a relaxing evening for the two as they discussed the hunt and enjoyed each other company. However, violet did bring up a point that Luna wasn't quite sure how she felt about just yet.
"Do you think we are ready to take on the orcs yet? I'm now sure that I could easily take out that orc I saved you from without even getting hurt!" Violet said in a slightly boating tone, but she also understood that it was a sensitive subject for Luna so tried to keep it somewhat lighthearted.
"I-I don't know." Luna eventually got out. And then after a long pause she continued her tone steadier but still somewhat apprehensive. "But I would like to go back to my clan and see if they left anything behind. I want something to remember my family by." Then her voice cracked as she said the next part. "After all I'm the only one left of my family now."
Violets heart hurt hearing her companion so sad so curled in even tighter making sure that Luna couldn't feel alone right now and spoke up. "We are family now. And you will never be alone." Violets simple but heartfelt words helped calm the emotional girl and union hearing them she hugged Violet even closer to herself and sent over feelings of appreciation and love through the bond. Violet naturally reciprocated.
And so as the night dragged on they soon found themselves falling asleep in each others embrace.
The morning came and after a quick meal of the remains of the tiger and a drink in the pond the two set out in the direction of lunas old clan. It was quite a distance away and as neither could remember the path they took the first time they decided to head to the lake as Luna knew the way back from there.
Arriving at the lake Violet was delighted to find that the frogs were still around and so the two companions began a fresh round of 'hunting' as they massacred their way around the lake killing every frog they came across.
[Your group has defeated Frogman Shaman lvl 7~10 x5 exp rewarded]
[Your group has defeated Frogman Warrior lvl 9~13 x10 exp rewarded]
[Congratulations you have leveled up]
Lvl 10->11
Agility - 25->26
Strength - 20->21
Constitution - 20->21
Intelligence - 36->38
Wisdom - 31->32
[Your skill have leveled up]
Void Bolt lvl 4->5
Void Spear lvl 4->5
Void Manipulation lvl 4->5
By the time they reached the wooden structure which Luna informed Violet was called a dock they had both leveled up again, with Luna now at level 19 and only 1 level away from evolving her class!
However as they reached the dock Luna became slightly more sollem as she lead the way back to the village, with Violet following closely behind and wrapping them in void to avoid any potential attacks.
After a quiet 30 minute walk they arrived at the location of the clan and bore witness to the remenants of lunas home.