[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/SaeSFFL.png[/img][/center]
[right][hr][color=gray][b]Holy City of Alexandria[/b]
Alexandria Hunters Guild Headquarters, Meeting Room. 21st Sun of Ondine
[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA84db59YSY]Background Music[/url]
[/color][hr][/right] [indent]

[color=gray]"Explosives!?"[/color] Edgar's face blanched. [color=gray]"WH-what do you mean? My inventions don't always explode!"[/color] Edgar seemed nervous until Avvadon explained that no; he meant more in the realm of devices with the PURPOSE to explode. [color=gray]"Oh-"[/color] Edgar gave a large sigh of relief. [color=gray]"I don't have any specific aldite stones on hand, and the ones that would make a strong reaction would cost..."[/color] he frowned, thinking to his roughly 50 gil in his wallet, [color=gray]"a lot more than I have on hand at the moment."[/color]

"Since this mission is being run by the Guild, you are supplied some basic equipment," Balder interjected, tossing the two large leather packs; before tossing packs to Blaike, Luna, Mithra, Ianthe, and Artemisia. "You won't be charged for the items inside, so use them as you see fit." Balder walked to the front counter of the guild, before turning back. "This mission does have a time limit on it. Check your supplies and be ready at the front door." He walked behind the counter, gathering his own pack. 

As everyone checked their packs, they would see a handful of useful items. Several glass vials filled with liquid indicated they all had a few potions, antidotes, and ethers in their packs, as well as small aldite stones. Not extremely powerful, but enough to assist in augmenting gear that could take a stone. Edgar was busy digging through his tool belt and looking at the stones. [color=gray]"I could...probably create something out of this, Avvadon,"[/color] he muttered to the giant monk. [color=gray]"I can work while we march, so hopefully I'll have something useful before we arrive at the forest."[/color]

Balder approached the readying group now wearing a dark leather breastplate over his jacket and balancing a steel sword on his side. He nodded to the group. "We need to take the west gate out of the city and march a few miles into the forest. There's a map of the area inside everyone's packs as well. Make sure you familiarize yourself with the area; we can't waste resources searching for lost hunters when we're stretched thin as we are here." It shouldn't have been too much of a surprise that the Alexandrian guild seemed to be lacking manpower. It seemed that apart from a few hunters, they did not have the numbers that a centuries-old guild would appear to have. 

Travel was uneventful. As they left Alexandria, they found the fine stone roads quickly turn into heavily traveled dirt paths, and the massive Ferris Wood loomed in the distance. A few rodents would appear on the roads, but none were aggressive. The path was peaceful, but there seemed to be a looming feeling of dread growing as the party continued to move closer to the forest. Unbeknownst to the group, [i]they were being watched.[/i]

[right][hr][color=green][b]Ferris Wood[/b]
Winding Paths, 21st Sun of Ondine
[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YX1D9pWYZSE]Background Music[/url]
[/color][hr][/right]

As they entered the forest, the heavy canopy of trees darkened the area ahead. Edgar could feel the hairs on his arms rise up as he looked down the dark, winding wooded paths of the forest. [i]Something felt unnatural here.[/i] Even Balder appeared worried, looking around the area with a grimace. "The map shows that there should only be a single path leading further into the woods here. But there are two. I suggest we stay on our guard from the moment on. Something feels very wrong here." 

Edgar nodded, and clasped the small metallic object in his hand, gingerly placing it back into his pack. He'd been able to create two small fire grenades with the materials he could salvage, but the explosive blast would be nothing special. It might work against a single miniboro, but against a Malboro it would be akin to throwing a pebble at a dragon. 

Balder drew his steel blade and motioned to Ianthe and Avvadon to join him near the front. "The path in the map..." he muttered, pointing the blade towards the left path, "best matches this path. Let's go recruits." [/indent]