[center][h1]The Vieran Woods[/h1][/center]

It took a good amount of time until the group finally arrived on the very beginning of the Vieran Woods, situated in the very border of the kingdom. At first sight, it was already an incredible sight. Bigger than any other forests you might have seen, that dense forest extended itself more than your eyes could see. It started as a normal, but rather dense forest, but the more you went deeper inside, more breathtaking the scenery became. Trees with trunks as big as a small house and taller than one would even imagine and powerful roots running through the forest floor like veins.

Freyr seemed to know exactly what he was doing and how to move himself inside that forest, in fact, it was clear that he was holding himself back and walking slower in order to not leave the rest of the group behind. To the others on the group who weren't Vieras though, the maze of trees, roots and plants inside that dense forest was almost impossible to keep track of, no matter how much they tried. More than just because of 'natural' reasons, the more they wandered inside, the more they started to have a feeling that the forest itself was alive. Even to those that weren't sensitive to magic, it was clear that they were in a sanctuary, a place untouched by humans and unfazed by time. The primal magic was stronger there than anywhere else...

[color=8dc73f][center][h2]Freyr[/h2][/center][/color]

The moment Freyr stepped inside the Vieran Woods, he stopped for a moment, closing his eyes. For so long he stood away from the woods, for so long he wasn't able to hear the voice of the woods that he couldn't help himself but to stop for a moment and feel the woods' embrace, feel it's whispers on his ears, hear the plants moving, the animals and feel the very energy of the Vieran Woods welcoming it's lost child. Even though he had left the woods out of his own will, it still longed for his return and was jealous of those who took him away.

[color=8dc73f]"The Vieran Woods are... not kind to outsiders. You should stay close to me. While calm and tranquil at first sight, there are beasts that live on these woods that even us Viera avoid to mess with."[/color] Freyr said, after a while as they started going further inside the forest. Despite saying those words, it was clear by his tone of voice and even by how Freyr was moving himself that he was incredibly happy and comfortable by finally having returned to the woods he once called home.

[color=8dc73f]"One thing you should understand when walking inside these woods are that it's not just 'alive' in the same way the plants are. These woods are really alive. They have a will of their own."[/color] Freyr said, explaining as they walked further and further.

[color=8dc73f]"I also mentioned that the Vieras could be used as weapons... You might have already felt it, especially you, Nagare, but there is a strange power in these woods, completely different from 'common' magic. Subtle yet powerful. Vieras' bodies are well attuned to this primal magic."[/color] he continued.

[color=8dc73f]"Due to this, we Vieras are incredibly sensitive to magic in general. When we are exposed to large amounts of magic other than these that flow inside these woods, we enter in a state of frenzy as our bodies aren't capable of handling big amounts of 'modern' magic, which is incredibly rough and brute compared to the subtle primal magic. When a Viera enters this frenzied state, it gets much faster and stronger, but we completely lose our mind and simply attack anyone nearby..."[/color] Freyr said, with a serious expression. Knowing that, it was easy to know why the Varjans might want to capture Vieras to use as weapons.

As they continued walking, they arrived on a part of the forest that had a strange mist covering the air. It wasn't bad at the point of making it impossible to see where they are going, in fact it was really thin, but there was something wrong with that mist. Somehow, you could feel it wasn't just a common mist.

[color=8dc73f]"We are close, the entrance to the village should be just after this mist. From now on, Ditzy, Nagare, don't let go of my hands."[/color] Freyr said, extending his hands towards both of them.

[color=8dc73f]"This is a ward placed by Vieran Spellweavers. Although it's harmless by itself, those who are not as sensitive to primal magic as the Viera will end up going back the way they came, or in the worst cases... won't be able to leave this part of the forest."[/color] Freyr said, looking to both Nagare and Ditzy. 

To both Ditzy and Nagare, they could swear they were walking in circles. It was more than just a feeling, they were absolutely certain they were going nowhere. If Freyr hadn't explained about that ward before, they would think he was lost himself, but after a few minutes walking, they finally got out of the mist, arriving on the very bottom of a truly gigantic tree. Almost as if it was drawn on the trunk of that tree by the Woods itself, it's roots twisted and turned to create something like a gate in the trunk of that tree, almost as if it was a door of some type, but no matter how you looked at it, inside that semi circle there was only the trunk itself, without any opening or anything strange.

When Freyr gave a few steps forward, about to explain what that portal was, they all heard the distinct sound of a bowstring being drawn from behind them.

Coming out of the mist, [url=https://i.postimg.cc/SQB37RGY/450px-Viera-fft.jpg]a female Viera wearing light armor and wielding a bow made of the same material and with a similar design to the one Freyr himself used[/url], walked around them until she was blocking their way to the gate. Almost as if she was stalking her prey, the woman never took her eyes off them not even for a second.

[color=007236]"You dare bring outsiders to our sacred woods, going as far as to bring them right outside our village?"[/color] The viera woman asked, venom clear in her voice as she looked to Freyr, whom simply raised his arms, surrendering himself.

[color=007236]"Who are you? What do you want invading our territory?"[/color] The female Viera asked, looking to Ditzy and Nagare.

[@AzureKnight] [@Restalaan]