The next day, there's a big commotion as four of the five Quartz Deer who've been feeding off of Yggdrasil's sap Evolved. Seems the creation of a second sapling triggered it, but it's difficult to be certain.
I'm currently worrying over the fifth, who's yet to finish their Evolution. Given the theme of the other four, I fear the worst, even if World Knowledge assures me they will be fine.
I turn from the luminescent form of the Evolving Quartz Deer in an attempt to bury my worry deep down along with the other hundred worries that have sprouted since the appearance of the Void Sealing Light.
Let's... let's try to distract ourselves with learning about the four others...
The first to Evolve was the Garnet Dromedary. It looks much like a dromedary from my old World, but instead of a hump of fatty tissue, there's a large red crystal growing from its spine. If the light catches just right, you can even glimpse parts of the internal organs through the gem.
*Garnet Dromedary
A Rare Mammaloid monster that's seldom sighted due to its reclusive nature. Preferring solitude, they wander the inhospitable Yo'ud desert, only rarely deigning to let a humanoid get close enough to see them clearly. Known as the 'mirage gem of the sand', even small fragments of the colossal crystal housed in the monsters body are worth enough that one would never need to worry about money ever again should one find one.
It's said that there exists a hidden oasis somewhere deep in the Yo'ud desert where the Garnet Dromedaries meet to breed. Uncountable fools have been lost to the desert in the search for this fabled place.
There are scant few reliable reports of how the Garnet Dromedary fights, but the common thread is that the oppressive heat of the desert becomes even more potent when the monster is angered, and it prefers to blind its opponent before fleeing.
Due to its rarity, even incomplete Garnet Dromedary parts are worth a fortune, and confer Heat damage or protection depending on how they're used.*
*Rating: 4 Stars (speculative)*
Its piercing red eyes are somewhat hidden behind thick eyelids furnished with luscious lashes perfect for keeping sand out of the eyes. A grumbling rumble issues as it approaches me, reaching out with its mind.
"I greet you, Your Majesty. I, Suori, southbound Guardian, give my thanks for allowing my kin shelter and an opportunity to serve the Divine." The large beast cranes its neck down in a bow of sorts. "I have been given the task of protecting the Ashmarrow tree as well as the still slumbering Demigod of Heat. If I may be so bold, could you use your power to send me to my charge?"
Suori blinks slowly, their voice mellow and deep. If they already have a name... Did the Divine name them?
*Given the current situation, the Divine have decided on a much more proactive method of protecting things important to the World Balance. By having been Named by the Divine, Suori will be able to Evolve one final time into a Royal Beast. These are special monsters which serve a divine purpose.*
I guess they'd be world bosses if this was a game...
"Your Majesty?" Suori tilts their head at me, curious about my silence.
"Pardon. There's a lot on my mind lately. I'll Teleport you now." I shake my head in an attempt to clear my thoughts. I reach out my hand to cast the Spell, and with a flash of light the Garnet Dromedary vanishes from the cave.
Two large monsters take their place, both curiously sniffing at the ground where Suori stood just moments ago. One is a large elk, its antlers gleaming in a verdant emerald glow even in the half-light of my den. The other is a even bigger muskox, its horns a jagged bloom of some sort of blue-grey mineral.
*Emerald Elk
An Uncommon Mammaloid Evolved from a Quartz Deer. It is possessed of a ruthless nature, and will viciously hunt down any Hunters it detects in its territory. The males of this species tend to herds of females of both Emerald Elks and Quartz Deer, and are notably bigger than the female Elks.
Males are rarer than females, and some researchers suggest the Emerald Elk is only Evolved from female Quartz Deer, but that some have the ability to change their gender with the Protogyny Skill. However, due to the Skill being lost upon its use, and that a female Emerald Elk with the Skill has never been observed- even in captivity- this is still only a hypothesis.
Its Plant Magic is powerful, and Hunters who have survived an encounter with an Emerald Elk report that it felt like the entire forest was after their life.
Parts of an Emerald Elk boosts Plant based Skills when added to equipment that confer such Skills, but add none of their own.*
*Rank: 4 Stars*
*Kyanite Muskox
A Common Mammaloid indigenous to the icy wastes of the far north. A group of these monsters are known as a 'fortress' due to their penchant for forming a wall with their bodies to protect their young and weak from predators.
The fortress is led by a matriarch, who is the oldest female member of the group. Her word is law, and the rest follow her example in behaviour.
This poses a problem when a fortress roams close to inhabited lands, as the Kyanite Muskox is an omnivore, and if the matriarch is of a violent disposition, the Muskox will hunt humanoids for sustenance. Once such a violent fortress is discovered, the entire group must be culled, especially the females, for their experiences shape their behaviour, and a traumatic experience with humanoids will cement them as an enemy to be killed.
If a surviving female manages to start her own fortress, it will relentlessly hunt and kill any humanoids it encounters- even if the monsters are otherwise fed- leaving a trail of frozen, shattered bodies in its wake.
The meat of the Kyanite Muskox is a prized ingredient and a local delicacy, but freezing it makes it tough and bitter, so it can only be enjoyed fresh or if it has been preserved with either salting or smoking.
Its pelt is among the best in terms of Cold protection, but the effect diminishes if any of the tough, stringy fur is removed, meaning any equipment made with max efficacy in mind is heavy, bulky and above all: possessed of a thick, unpleasant odour.*
*Rank: 3 Stars (alone) 5 Stars (in a group)*
The Emerald Elk snorts, giving a sense of being amused, before turning and reaching out to me with its mind. "I greet the Monarch. I am Vestri, westbound Guardian." They bow their head towards me, yet still taking care to not point their antlers towards me.
I glance, half expectantly, over to the Kyanite Muskox, but they make no attempt to reach out. Indeed, they're more occupied with Leraste, who is excitedly whetting her beak on the tough Kyanite crystals acting as horns for the Muskox.
*The three others have yet to receive a Divine Name. Most likely the Divine wait for the creation of the associated sapling before bestowing one.*
Makes sense. I move to gently pry Leraste from the annoyed Muskox. There's one Evolved Quartz Deer left, but they've left the cave, and according to Yggdrasil, are already halfway up her trunk. Which is impressive considering the nearly vertical surface.
I decide to take a look on the way towards the Labyrinth, and sure enough, far up the trunk of the Demigod is a small shape moving ever upwards in their quest for the leaves.
*Citrine Ibex
A Rare Mammaloid that makes its home mainly in the Zalenith mountains but can be found elsewhere in smaller numbers due to following their Ayvin caretakers as they emigrated to other climes.
Due to the difficulty in reaching them, indeed- their main defence against predators is to climb near vertical cliffs before pelting their foe with Lighting Spells- little is known of the behaviour of wild Citrine Ibex.
When tamed as livestock, this hardy monster provides meat, bones and hide to their Ayvin caretakers, who are the ancestral inhabitants of the Zalenith range.
However, the domesticated Citrine Ibex lack the yellow glow to their horns that give them their name, and their Lightning Spells are much weaker than that of their wild counterparts, suggesting they lack something in their diet to dye their horns the honey-yellow hue of the 'true' Citrine Ibex.
The impressive horns of wild Citrine Ibex are often found at the bottom of cliffs, where the unfortunate monster most likely fell to its death. Being the only truly inedible part, it is what's left once all the mountain scavengers (even other Ibexes) have eaten their fill, meaning it is the least priced part of the Ibex due to how common it is.
Pristine/'fresh' horns as well as the pelts and bones of wild Ibex are coveted due to their ability to boost Lightning related Skills whilst still being lightweight additions to any equipment.*
*Rank: 4 Stars (wild) 3 Stars (tame)*
They're really going at it, huh... I just hope they, well, don't end up like they usually do...
Another worry added to the pile, I hurry towards the Labyrinth, eager to distract myself with its construction.