During a Christmas event in Verforet, Brocéliande Forestier Rennes detected an evil presence coming from the forest. |
We immediately went to investigate and found a mysterious glow deep in the forest. Following Rennes' advice to be wary of small lights in the dark, we decided to follow her advice and bypass the light source. |
![Story Rennes.png](/images/d/d7/Story_Rennes.png) Rennes |
"Everyone, please stop here." |
Rennes in the lead signalled for all units to stop. Both Bourse and Freiburg quickly halted their footsteps and immediately lowered their posture and stayed alert on all directions. |
![Story Rennes.png](/images/d/d7/Story_Rennes.png) Rennes |
"Hmmm..." |
![Story Rennes.png](/images/d/d7/Story_Rennes.png) Rennes |
"Bourse, keep your bow drawn just in case." |
![Story Bourse.png](/images/9/93/Story_Bourse.png) Bourse |
"Acknowledged. Where would you like me to aim?" |
![Story Rennes.png](/images/d/d7/Story_Rennes.png) Rennes |
"That light. Be prepared for a surprise attack from the front." |
![Story Rennes.png](/images/d/d7/Story_Rennes.png) Rennes |
"Also, everyone stay exactly where you are. Do not move until I say it's okay, capiche?" |
![Story Freiburg.png](/images/8/8a/Story_Freiburg.png) Freiburg |
"Got it! I will never move!" |
![Story Rennes.png](/images/d/d7/Story_Rennes.png) Rennes |
"Now, let me check the surroundings for a moment. I'm going to flash very strong lights, so don't be surprised." |
Rennes took out a special lantern and began uttering incantations while stroking it gently. |
The lantern instantly emitted a strong light, illuminating the whole area where we were standing still. |
![Story Rennes.png](/images/d/d7/Story_Rennes.png) Rennes |
"This is a special lantern that the Brocéliande Forestiers have. It reacts to the owner's magical power and emits an extremely strong light. It also attracts monsters, so it is only used in emergencies..." |
![Story Rennes.png](/images/d/d7/Story_Rennes.png) Rennes |
"...and I have decided that it is now an emergency." |
![Story Freiburg.png](/images/8/8a/Story_Freiburg.png) Freiburg |
"That light's amazing! Now I can see my feet clearly♪" |
![Story Freiburg.png](/images/8/8a/Story_Freiburg.png) Freiburg |
"Wha, WHOA!" |
![Story Freiburg.png](/images/8/8a/Story_Freiburg.png) Freiburg |
"What is this!? There's a cliff right below my feet!" |
![Story Rennes.png](/images/d/d7/Story_Rennes.png) Rennes |
"It's a canyon. It's quite deep. It could have been dangerous if you fell unexpectedly." |
![Story Bourse.png](/images/9/93/Story_Bourse.png) Bourse |
"I didn't notice it at all because of the overgrown vegetation. If I had walked straight ahead, I would have fallen for sure." |
![Story Freiburg.png](/images/8/8a/Story_Freiburg.png) Freiburg |
"That's literally a cliffhanger, isn't it...?" |
And that moment when Freiburg at the end of the line looked down to check her foothold... |
Bourse |
"Mist Monster!" |
![Story Rennes.png](/images/d/d7/Story_Rennes.png) Rennes |
"It's here after all, Bourse, please do." |
![Story Bourse.png](/images/9/93/Story_Bourse.png) Bourse |
"Yes. I'll take the initiative." |
![Story Monster.png](/images/3/30/Story_Monster.png) Monster |
"Grraaawh..." |
![Story Bourse.png](/images/9/93/Story_Bourse.png) Bourse |
"Direct hit. It's dying." |
![Story Freiburg.png](/images/8/8a/Story_Freiburg.png) Freiburg |
"M-MORE CAME FROM BEHIND!" |
![Story Rennes.png](/images/d/d7/Story_Rennes.png) Rennes |
"It's alright. I already saw the enemy behind us." |
![Story Freiburg.png](/images/8/8a/Story_Freiburg.png) Freiburg |
"T-that's amazing. I can't believe you can move that fast, at the edge of the cliff too..." |
![Story Rennes.png](/images/d/d7/Story_Rennes.png) Rennes |
"Well, it's a lot brighter than before." |
![Story Freiburg.png](/images/8/8a/Story_Freiburg.png) Freiburg |
"Really, I'm sorry. I'm the only one dragging everyone else down." |
![Story Bourse.png](/images/9/93/Story_Bourse.png) Bourse |
"That's not true, petite Freiburg is the reason we have this current formation." |
![Story Freiburg.png](/images/8/8a/Story_Freiburg.png) Freiburg |
"I'm glad to hear you say that." |
![Story Freiburg.png](/images/8/8a/Story_Freiburg.png) Freiburg |
"I have to do my best too, because I'm a Train Knight just like Rennes and everyone else!" |
![Story Bourse.png](/images/9/93/Story_Bourse.png) Bourse |
"You shouldn't compare yourself with Rennes when it comes to forest combat skills, Rennes' strength is recognised even by the Gendarmerie. She's exceptionally skilled. It's just that appearances deceive her strength." |
![Story Rennes.png](/images/d/d7/Story_Rennes.png) Rennes |
"It's nice to get compliments, but we don't have time for friendly chats. Let's go ahead and strike the source of the Phantom Mist." |
![Story Freiburg.png](/images/8/8a/Story_Freiburg.png) Freiburg |
"But where should we go onwards? We can't use this strong light for too long because it will attract more monsters, right?" |
![Story Rennes.png](/images/d/d7/Story_Rennes.png) Rennes |
"Yes, you are right. But we don't need to use this light anymore. As there seems to be something else that guides us..." |
![Story Rennes.png](/images/d/d7/Story_Rennes.png) Rennes |
"Mademoiselle Freiburg. Once I turn off the lights, look carefully ahead. And not just faint light near you, but deep past that as well." |
![Story Freiburg.png](/images/8/8a/Story_Freiburg.png) Freiburg |
"OK. Further over it is!" |
Rennes |
"Then I'm going to turn off the lights." |
When Rennes switched off the lantern, darkness reasserted itself around the canyon. |
But after a few seconds, as soon as my eyes adjusted to this darkness, I noticed that something unusual was happening in the direction Rennes had indicated. |
![Story Freiburg.png](/images/8/8a/Story_Freiburg.png) Freiburg |
"The small faint lights are increasing..." |
There was an increase in numbers of those faint glows that illuminate the forest at night. Small lights were popping up in the black forest. |
![Story Freiburg.png](/images/8/8a/Story_Freiburg.png) Freiburg |
"It's just like stars dotting a cloudy sky." |
![Story Rennes.png](/images/d/d7/Story_Rennes.png) Rennes |
"That's a very poetic thing to say. It could be used as a sentence in a picture book." |
![Story Freiburg.png](/images/8/8a/Story_Freiburg.png) Freiburg |
"I-Is that so? I'm a bit embarrassed when you say it like that." |
![Story Freiburg.png](/images/8/8a/Story_Freiburg.png) Freiburg |
"Then Rennes, how would you describe them then?" |
![Story Bourse.png](/images/9/93/Story_Bourse.png) Bourse |
"Nice shot. petite Freiburg. Come Rennes, show us your poetic and literary side." |
![Story Rennes.png](/images/d/d7/Story_Rennes.png) Rennes |
"Dohyuhyuhh, well then..." |
![Story Rennes.png](/images/d/d7/Story_Rennes.png) Rennes |
"'Quite suspicious, light mysterious', how's that?" |
![Story Freiburg.png](/images/8/8a/Story_Freiburg.png) Freiburg |
"WOW!" |
![Story Bourse.png](/images/9/93/Story_Bourse.png) Bourse |
"Ugh..." |
![Story Rennes.png](/images/d/d7/Story_Rennes.png) Rennes |
"Now that you know I have no literary talent, shall we first check the first source of light we find and then move on?" |
![Story Rennes.png](/images/d/d7/Story_Rennes.png) Rennes |
"...Like stars dotting a cloudy sky. That's nice." |