After a brief talk with Mercedes to check on the families that were also accompanying the army but were staying in the inns, Raven and his party finally took a temporary leave from the kingdom of Eclanor. Accompanying them was Dandy, as the merchant lacked some of the ingredients in the list that were handed to her a while ago.
"The antidote that you’re trying to make, I’ll need to go into the brambled woods to get some of the herbs." That was her explanation, and since she was somewhat touched by Maine’s help in calming Holly and Jess, Dandy tagged along with the party instead of just describing to them what they needed to look for.
Riding on top of Coppelicon, the party marched through the desert with Aria and Dandy riding on the same bird. Staying beside Raven on one side and Amedith on the other, the dark elves made sure to remain in the middle of the party as the fighting capabilities of Dandy were as yet unaccounted for. If she were to fall into danger, they would have to rescue her, and with what happened to the spy, none of them wanted her to be an easy shot.
"Spider lilies and a handful of other poison flowers from what used to be dryad territory, that’s what we need," looking at Raven, Dandy began explaining what they needed, "I heard your army was poisoned, and from the sound of it, it’s gotta be dryad poison."
"Hmm..." Staring straight ahead, Raven kept quiet even though the mystery of the poisoner had finally been solved. The others, on the other hand, refused to remain quiet.
"That means it is that dryad that poisoned the army," Mel hissed, squeezing the leather of the bird’s reins.
"But what about the traitor? Someone still must be helping her," Aria inquired further.
As everyone’s gaze turned to Amedith, the weight of an answer clambered down on him. He’d been the one who was in charge of inspecting the soldiers, but so far nobody had heard anything from him.
"What are you people even talking about?" Before he could speak, however, Flitza, the only outsider beside Dandy, decided to speak up. Her presence thus far had been thin since she’d decided to just race alongside the bird on her eagle-like talons. "What’s this about the dryad? And what traitor?"
"There is no traitor!" Amedith exclaimed with a sigh.
Lifting his head, the magus focused on the distance at the brambles and told everyone what he’d found during the inspection of the army alongside Liliyana. The two have questioned nearly all battalions, and not a single one of them was lying about adding the poison to the cauldrons.
"Most of them were nearly dying from the poison before that mild antidote came, and unless this traitor was stupid enough to possibly kill themselves, I doubt that everything we read in that letter is the absolute truth."
"Maybe some of them were pretending?" Erika questioned, her eyes set on the far brambles as well.
With all eyes now curiously on her, the priestess glanced sideways at everyone for just a spell. Bringing her attention quickly back to the desert sand, she puffed her chest with air and exhaled.
"Besides, a poison immunity wouldn’t be unheard of in the demis or beastmen that we have in the army." While her words rang true to most, Amedith had to remind everyone of something.
"Then Liliyana would’ve picked up a lying aura from them, but she didn’t."
Splitting halfway from Erika’s body, the reddish outline of Asmodia smiled at Amedith and waved.
"Unless they had the help of a devil or a patron of some kind, like a warlock, then they could easily fool a devil."
"Will someone explain what’s going on? How am I supposed to aid you in this quest if you’re keeping secrets from me?!" Flitza complained once more, her annoyance fueled by the aching of her feet.
"We will, once we find out who the traitor is." Shooting her demand for information down, Raven moved beside Flitza and using his right hand, he picked her up onto the back of his Coppelicon. The dragoness struggled for a moment, but then gave in from being far too tired to continue walking.
As the hero caught up with Amedith’s bird again, she held onto his shoulders with gritted contempt. The scars from being defeated last time haven’t healed, and after what the holy order had done to her lord’s temple, she felt a deep-rooted hatred burning from within. Part of it was the false hope’s manipulation, and the other part was pure hatred borne from humiliation. Even so, unlike Frazer, the dragoness kept her anger contained, for in her mind defeating the demon general took precedence over everything else.
"This is a temporary truce, remember that," she grunted, but otherwise remained quiet until the party finally reached the giant wall of the brambled forest.
Getting off the birds, Raven put them inside the monster holding jewels. The monster girls within would bind them and feed them in case they were once again needed, either inside the brambles or to traverse the oceanic desert again.
On foot once more, Mel was the first to step forward with one of her hands extended outwards. Through the tips of her fingers flowed the ancient magic of woodland elves, and as its glistening specks touched the withered brambles, the branches and the veins began turning green and separating from each other. Opening a path within them, they invited her in along with the rest of her companions.
"Well, no use in wasting time," Mel said, turning around to look at the others.
Apart from Dandy and Flitza, everyone followed her lead without thinking too much of her ability. Beyond surprised, the other two blinked their eyes before finally realizing why only elves and monsters lived so far out into the desert.
’This group...It’s interesting to say the least.’ Dandy thought to herself, but as the opening in the brambles slowly started closing up, she and Flitza rushed behind the party.
In the darkness, they couldn’t see anything for a moment, but with balls of light being cast out from Erika’s hands, the entire place lit up in just a matter of a few seconds. Like fireflies, they scattered themselves, ensuring that no corner of the visible forest was left in the dark.
"Keep close, and don’t wander," and with that said, Raven finally led the charge in the demon general’s territory.