Sharp Hisses [job/solo]

Job Overview: The local fellers, people assigned to cut down trees for wood, have been having an issue with troublesome forest creatures. Help remove the creatures so the fellers can continue their work.

Enemy Name: Forest Snake x6
Rank: C
Needed damage to take down: C
Description: Forest Snakes move at 7m/s and are 2 meters long, with fangs capable of inflicting C-tier damage. Forest Snakes tend to dangle from the branches to await their prey.
Abilities:
Crushing Squeeze - Forest Snake wraps around an appendage and squeezes, cutting off circulation and dealing C-tier damage.

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On her way back to Magnostadt, Ari passed through a smaller village in a wooded area. Deciding to stop and rest her horse, she climbed down and used the reins as a lead to make her way into the central area of the tribe. Around her, small children laughed and played, dancing around the newcomer in a welcoming display as an elderly woman approached from the largest tent in the settlement. When the woman came to stand before her, Ari gave her a bow, a symbol that most of the people on the Plains understood as a symbol of respect. The older woman cleared her throat and tapped her walking stick on the ground in an acknowledgement of the sign of respect and Ari straightened with a smile.

“Elder, I was hoping to rest my horse for a short bit, if that is acceptable. I would be happy to compensate for the inconvenience or I can move along, if that it your preference.”

The woman offered a kindly smile, dipping her head slightly. The young women was smart to offer compensation rather than directly offering money, most of the people on the Plains valued work or goods over gold or paper notes. She gave the young woman a quick look-over, taking note of the staff, far too ornate to be a simple walking aid.

“You are welcome to rest your horse here, young lady. As compensation, first I must ask if you have experience in combat.”

“Yes, ma’am, I do. I am a magician.”

“Ah, then perhaps you would be willing to assist us with a small problem. We make most of our trade here with wood from the surrounding area. However, we have recently had issue with some rather rambunctious creatures attacking out fellers. Would you be willing to assist?”

Ari agreed without a second thought, asking the woman about the creatures. It seemed there were snakes in the trees that would sit in the branches and then dangle to attack the men out chopping wood. Ari listened to the woman’s tips about the creatures, describing them to be as long as a man was tall, some as thick as small trees, with large fangs. She committed the details to memory before making her way to the dense woods.

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Being in the woods reminded her of the area surrounding her farm in Kios, the path to the hidden hot spring covered in thick foliage too close together to see through. It was easy to get lost there, but here there were well-worn paths made by the fellers. She was impressed by how careful they were with the forested area, not cutting away clear areas, instead taking one tree from here, another taken from several meters away. Once the tree had been chopped down, the trunk and root system were removed and fresh soil brought in to plant a sapling in. They were responsible with their trees, ensuring they did not tip the balance of nature too much. They also seemed to focus on the older trees that were beginning to show signs of decay and rot.

One of the fellers escorted her in, telling her about the practices of the village as they traversed deeper into the woods. Once the old trees were removed, the decayed portions of wood were stripped away and burned immediately, not wanting to risk the fungus and disease spreading to the other trees. The clean portions of the wood were then split down based on the needs of the village or trade. Some were kept as large, long logs for building while others were chopped down into firewood, something many villages did not have ready access to and stocked up on for the winter. Due to it being spring, most orders were for building wood, so they had to find very particular trees. He finally stopped and pointed down a path that led to a part of the woods that was dimmer than the surrounding area. It had not been thinned yet and it gave the area a spooky feel.

Ari thanked him before heading deeper. It did not take long for the first snake to appear, its upper body falling from a branch near her as it hissed loudly in warning. Ari raised her wand and murmured to the rukh, a Shock Ball forming at the end of her staff before she directed it to strike the snake. The creature ceased its hissing as all of its muscled jittered, falling to the ground in a harmless heap.

Ari used Seek, two small balls of magoi floating and moving before her as they settled in two areas about four meters apart approximately 15 meters in front of her. Smiling to herself, Ari murmured to the rukh once more, casting Electric Field II between the two spots of magoi. The field expanded quickly and Ariella could hear hissing as she watched four bodies drop to the ground with a thud.

Moving deeper into the woods, her borg flared to life as a snake struck at her with its fangs, the sharp teeth meeting only a magoi barrier. Ari used her staff to strike the snakes head, dazing the creature before she swung her staff horizontally to strike the middle of the snakes body, the helpless creature falling to the ground unconscious. She waded deeper into the woods, keeping a sharp eye out as she moved. She could see the light brightening the further she moved and she was not struck again. With a shrug, she moved back the way she had come, gathering the bodies of the snakes as she went. The villagers would likely find uses for the bodies, whether it be for the meat or for the hide.

When she broke free of the woods, she squinted against the harsh light. The light in the woods had been gentler, hazed by green plant life. Out here it was brilliant and glaring. She trudged back into the village, holding up the bodies of the six snakes she had defeated. The elderly woman approached her with an appreciative smile before waving to her horse. The children had bathed and brushed her mount and one of them had weaved flowers into the mane and tail. Ari chuckled at the happy whicker the horse gave, patting the mare before turning to the village Elder and thanking her profusely. The woman returned the thanks, taking the snakes with a happy look. The meat would be good dried and the skins would be useful for clothing. Climbing onto the mare’s back, Ari dipped her head in thanks once more before turning back towards Magnostadt once more. She would be riding for another day or so, but she hoped she would find a village to stop at before dark fell.

[1130/1000]
[Magoi 240/300]

Abilities Used: