[GM]Rare Ingredient Hunting...

A light mist clung to the dark green cloak upon his back. The hood covered most of his face, hiding his identity. Mushrooms. He was looking for a specific kind of blue mushroom which only grew in Cresthollow, a mist veiled forest filled with (for him) hardly harmful creatures. He supposed what made his informant uneasy was that the place was the home of the Maiden of the Mist, Uwndres' ruler, Lora. To tread such land of significance, especially a place not even of their own nation, was not exactly what they were interested in, despite the rarity of items that may grow there. But for Umbrix that didn't matter...what did was that his soup would be made like he wanted. He would add it to the list of recipes. If there happened to be any other ingredients worth looking at, you would be sure to think that he would take advantage of this (perhaps) one time trip.

His face, shrouded by the hood, lifted enough to have sharp grey eyes survey the landscape atop a large tree root. Perhaps the informant lied...so far there was no sign of any blue mushrooms.

"...Hm?"

Afar a lit grove was seen, surrounded in young trees. Though misted over like most of the forest, the light within it made it glow ethereally. A better place to start than never. He made his way there, mindful of the stones, roots and branches along the way.

Standing outside of the perimeter of the lit grove, Umbrix observed his surroundings. There had to be a reason why a specific area had to be lit up...was an event area perhaps? He checked for traps...lines around the trees, the top of the grove for nets, meticulously careful. If there was nothing, then there was nothing, however if there was something it would capture his attention.

If there were not, then he would proceed to step into the light where he scoured the area for any rare plants. There were. A mushroom of bluish hues and goldenrod stem. 'Eye of the Angel'. He actually got his money's worth. His right hand unsheathed his knife and another reached for a fresh gathering pouch on his belt. Holding it delicately, Umbrix cut the stem and gathered it successfully, putting it into his pouch before looking for more. He found four more, which he took eagerly into his pouch. However, he did not stop there as there were more plants that looked interesting. A curled up fern with heart shaped leaves, a large purple flower that was shedding what looked like a shell (which he suspected had nuts or something like it inside) that smelled rather pleasant and sharp, a shriveled looking fruit or vegetable that had a spicy smell. The last one intrigued him the most. A line tiny golden bells upon upon a plant caught his eyes. He took no time at all to attempt to gather the herb. It looked as rare as it did a delicacy and he hoped to make what he could from his gathering. It was that last plant that he finally drew the gathering pouches closed.

Productive day. His figure would move to leave the grove before stopping and turning around to look at it once again. There was just something odd about this lit grove...............oh well. With a wave of his cloak, Umbrix set off toward his home, Lordren.

((Edit: added GM to title, waiting for perhaps Lora? Or anyone else...))

((Haha, you're not even in Cresthollow atm, but outside it. It's a place one must be lost to find, unfortunately.))

VOID:

Spoiler:

(( I would think that being one of the four knights of Lordren has a little bit of experience with detection and have some experience, but that's okay. I'll just leave out of the place. ))

"The last I saw you,"

Came a soft voice just behind him, perhaps a little to the left,

"you seemed to have the utmost fascination with doing me rather substantial bodily harm. The fact you've wandered so far into my domain is perhaps speaks volumes about the peace we strove to achieve in battle."

Should he turn, the Maiden of the Mist, Lora herself, sat astride her faithful companion, an elk of metallic sinew, the pair seeming to be little more than gleaming shadows and thin, glowing eyes.

His foot stopped an inch from the fauna beneath him as Umbrix heard the soft voice behind him. For some reason he knew that grove was something sacred...he should have known not to trust the brute who gave him this information, considering he looked rather frightened, but excited to get a little coin. With a wave of his cloak like a banner, he turned to her halfway, his shoulder facing her. Though he had an inkling as to who was speaking to him, under his hood his eyes barely peeked out of them to affirm his suspicions.

Her shadowy figure upon the large elk was enough...Umbrix did not need a closer look to perceive that in front of him stood the Maiden of the Mist. No woman would be able to tame such a creature without it bolting. He said nothing at first, deathly quiet and looking in the direction of the glowing, piercing eyes in the misty forest before finally speaking some words.

"...My apologies, Lady Lora. I knew not where I tread."

A slow smile crept over her lips as she guided her companion closer, dismounting with grace the moment she had crossed to his front. She stood for a moment to whisper soft praise to the creature while the pale flesh of her fingertips caressed the neck of the giant beast. While Lora was tall, her elk still towered over her slim figure.

"Did you not know your quest for Uwndre flora would lead you to Uwndre?"

Lora laughed, high and bright, before laying a last soft pat upon her friend's neck. The sleek creature nudged her cheek affectionately with its nose before casually striding away from the pair with a high-stepping gait. Still, the eyes of tiny creatures peeked out from the greenery all about the hollow (one that was rather close to Lora's home in truth), holding their breath at the meeting of the two very influential individuals. While neither more than likely wished it, their meeting held a thick political tension high above their heads, just like the meeting of any other world leaders.

"No need to apologize, Sir Umbrix. These are peaceful times, are they not? Still, this is your first visit since your attempt to slit my throat in times of war. Is my company really so undesirable?"

"Uwndre flora, yes, not the Maiden of the Mist's personal garden..."

He said, a hint of bitterness in his tone for his quest giver. He definitely should have asked for more details. As she dismounted, a hand came to push back his cloak's green hood to reveal his dark hair and set jaw line. There was no use hiding by now, as she clearly knew who he was. How tense the feeling of his meeting, even if her manner of how to deal with such tension was so different from his. Lora's kindness to giant elk was the anti-thesis to Umbrix's stiff, serious gaze as they both stood in her forest.

When she spoke of peace, Umbrix barely relaxed his shoulders. He shifted a little uncomfortably as Lora mentioned that his attempt at assassinating her in the time of war, making the clouded vials of water swish in their containers. Umbrix had already ruled out apology as a way to make amends with someone who was once considered prey.

"Your company not undesirable, but rather undreamed. Nothing in this forest is hidden from you, Lady Lora."

Of course she could tell as he relaxed, even if by only the most minuscule of degrees. Good. While her home may stretch through the south with a languid grace of the ancient, Lora sought to have her presence inspire a sort of trust in her companions. While the Lady of the forest was present, no creature would dare aspire to harm her favored company. Additionally, she was well aware of how savage they had all become during the multiple wars that had ravaged the land, and she did hope that her quiet serenity could win back the trust of the other nations.

"While true, I meant not to pry. I shant keep you if you have somewhere to be."

She walked slowly to the sites of the blue mushroom that he had harvested, quietly thanking the plants for their gift before coaxing the remaining stems into a cycle of regrowth to restore their number. Even still she remained hazy and indistinct, as if she were swathed in the thick mist that permeated her forests. It seemed almost easier to see her if one didn't focus on her figure, but rather on a point just around her. Lora didn't usually like to display her physical form in full, as she had no desire to attract a mate; perhaps one day that time would come, but as of yet, she had not been compelled to reveal herself.

"Do not assume the wrong idea..."

Umbrix said, barely a whisper. What was it with women and his words? It was like they always thought he meant them wrong. His cousin, his aunt, some of his classmates--his body suddenly gave a slight twitch in surprise. His lashes shielded his eyes as they looked downwards and away from Lora. It occurred to him that he suddenly forgot...Lora was so life-like that he nearly forgotten that she was an NPC. Despite not being able to see her figure, as that information was irrelevant to Umbrix, her voice and gestures were extremely realistic.

No matter. The fact that he was fooled into believing that the Maiden in front of him was real spoke leaps and bounds on his thoughts of his game. Difficult to believe it was anything less than reality. Therefore, Kazuo would believe Lora to be nothing less than real. Why not. His statement continued then,

"I have not left because I've yet to thank you for your generosity, my Lady."

His chin nudged a little in her direction, where she was sweetly expressing her thanks to the plants and already returning the forest to its former state. Granted, Umbrix knew he could not thank her with gold or items...this was Lora, afterall, who could obtain anything quite easily in this game. But Lora was a clever woman...NPC. She could think of something that she wanted from a knight of Lordren. But what he hated the most was being in debt to someone and then running. Enough people in the world of Ardermina do it as it is and Umbrix refused to be part of them.

"My generosity? For a few mushroom caps?"

If tone could convey an image, those simple words would leave him with the image of a very slightly raised eyebrow and the hint of a smile. Otherwise, her spectral figure betrayed none of her inner emotions. Lora had turned very slightly to study him again, the white glow of her eyes just about the only defined portion of her. It had always intrigued the Maiden how much of a person she could know from just their outward appearance. From his garb, she could easily tell his position in the Sword's court; even his well-trimmed facial hair spoke of his need to keep up appearances, as much as he would decline the fact if asked, she ventured... and from his gaze, she could tell that not many understood his quiet and near-emotionless way of conducting himself.

In short, though she could deduce a fair amount from as much of him she could see, he still intrigued her. She'd found his fierceness in battle to be one of the most honest emotions he had ever displayed, and sought to somehow simulate that openness in another form. So long as things continued on the path of pleasantries, this road seemed to lead only to her desires.

As he mentioned, it was her voice that made her so real. The image of her intrigued by his statements were vivid, even if Lora was shrouded. Her intentions were as shrouded as she was. Afterall, though Umbrix showed little emotion in most situations, it opened up his receptors for the people around him. Just by a few gestures he could generally perceive the major emotion that person was feeling. While dealing with it appropriately was something else, this skill alone helped him understand this world a little bit more. However, with Lora her emotions were so shrouded it was difficult to tell what her motivations were. And that was enough for him to believe something to be amiss. There was certainly more to this conversation than the surface. He could thank her, leave right now and be preparing the soup with the mushrooms he gathered, but unfortunately his pride was high.

"...The moment I cause you to bend for the collection of my resources is the moment I am in debt. So indeed... it seems that I now owe you 'a few mushroom caps' too much."

Umbrix replied flatly with insistence. And there was not a chance he was willing to be in debt to the Maiden of the Mist. However, at what cost...his mind froze thinking again that this one woman was, once upon a time, on his hit list. It was not this very encounter that forced him to remember that Lora knew the activities within her forest by a simple blade of grass, but by his experience at war. How striking was Umbrix's memory the day he attempted to tread so lightly upon wood, grass and foreign flora to do his dirty work, only to realize that the moment he did, despite his gentleness and care, he had already been tracked.  And he, the assassin once pitted to slay her, now found himself owing her time and energy he wished not to. A truly unfortunate circumstance.

"Ah, but such a small debt... It only seems fitting that your payment should be proportionate, don't you think?"

Finally straightening, the spectral Maiden extended a hand.

"I grow so very lonely as the sole ruler of this realm, for even the Mad King has his glacial Queen. I would seek your attendance on first full moon of the year at Rose Lake, two weeks from now. You need not do more than simply accompany me until dawn. I'm sure the song and dance, however unfamiliar to you at the time, will grow on you. The Mo-Men are a very friendly people."

Materializing upon the tips of her fingers, a single leaf of the most extraordinary colours weaved itself into existence, reflecting eagerly the colours of aurora borealis from his own world. It was but a tiny, delicate thing.

"In time, this leaf will bud. Wearing the resulting flower will allow all to recognize you as my personal guest. Do you accept?"

Her sound of loneliness made him think of himself as well. Was he, too, lonely in his duties? He did not think so...could it have eluded him? Perhaps her nature was different from his and he could handle the pang of loneliness that people seemed to feel. Lora had her animals which he figured she called her friends, yet...perhaps human interaction was that much different. So this quest of merely accompaniment was offered to him, which was something he certainly did not expect. Was there a consequence to him taking his quest? There was not, correct? What would be the error of doing so?

Hesitating, he looked away before his sharp eyes caught the glow of an item materializing upon the tips of her fingers. For a second or two, Umbrix stared at the beautifully colored leaf, the colors dancing within themselves. Such a rare item, he thought, surely a quest item to keep safe.

Umbrix's dark gloved hand swiftly moved to knock off the cork of a large bottle upon his belt, the porous bark tissue falling among foliage and viney forest floor. The water splashed quietly at the sudden jolt. His hand did not extend to reach for the leaf and instead waved slightly to the right, as if dismissing what she said as trivial. But it was not such, as the water from the large bottle sprung out of its glass container. The water, as if a small brook that had decided to flow horizontally, made its way in the air to her. Its trail was playful and docile, drops of water at times abandoning the main body, gracefully still in the air before eventually returning to its mother. The moving water completely encased the multi-colored leaf in Lora's fingers before pulling back and taking it from her. It left a gentle and wet kiss on the tips of her fingers before swiftly coming back to it's glass home, where now the colorful leaf stay suspended in water.

As the water was doing its spectacle, Umbrix took the time to take out another cork that fit the bottle and when it came back, he corked the bottle once again. The colorful leaf shone in the glass bottle once before disappearing within the folds of his cloak. Now Umbrix looked up to Lora, his gaze fixed upon on her.

"Lady Lora...I accept your request."