Master Of None

When it came to the strangeness of the merchant encounter, Walker felt that it was some large potion of luck since they had managed to gain a lot from it. Plenty of the fire resistant items that were extras on top of extras had been snapped up by those merchants. They found high value in exotic items like that.

While they had not asked if their group was from the world, Walker had realized that these merchants believed they had traveled from different elemental planes the very same way that they also did to make their living.

It might not have been the case but maybe it was best that some people believed just that. It could be safer when dealing with some more volatile people or races if they were to meet some who did not like them.

The fireling screechers didn’t get more description before the merchants had moved on, this time they had all worn larger cloaks to protect them and help blend in to the terrain. It was something that Walker and his group had considered and could also do, however, they had not been able to figure out the consistent colorization of the fire mana terrain which was why they had not prepared much for this sort of situation.

Walker could manipulate the fire mana around and made a decent covering of flames to hide their larger group though. It was something he would do when he noticed the need. An unusual dome of fire would attract attention, but it would look like a larger monster so it would deter many smaller monsters.

Then again, he could also use some of the water mana naturally present in his body to deter many as well.

While a good tactic, it was dangerous since water mana here was much more valuable. The water mana could and most likely would react violently with the intensity and purity that the fire mana had in this place. Meaning it would cause damage and ripples all around. However, it would easily deter some of the more powerful opponents Walker might encounter.

”What do you think the fireling screeches are? The merchants said to watch the horizon to make sure we didn’t get harassed by them.” Gil was still right by Walker’s side while they moved so he was taking the second hand man role. The others were still keeping their focus on the perimeter of their group while they moved.

Before the question could be answered though, it seemed they would have answers. The flame swallowing turtles recoiled in to their shells and halted proving that they were not living but waiting out whatever would happen.

This was good and bad. It meant that Walker’s group would need to handle whatever the dangers were. Persevere through it instead of running or fighting it openly. It also meant that the flame swallowing turtles had much better senses for this danger than what Walker had while in the fire elemental planes which showed his potential for improvement and where he was lacking right now.

Looking at the horizon to the side where the merchants had looked, Walker spotted small figures darting in to the air and on to the ground. They lived like grasshoppers, but they were definitely not at all like that.

Their shape was like a small parakeet with four extra legs. Their feathers flashed with flames that grew brighter every time they leaped up ahead. But it was the sound, the flames made a high pitch whine every time the leaped in to the air and their feathers flashed with denser flames.

”That’s why they are called screeches.” Gil sighed as he grabbed an arrow and looked at Walker waiting for a plan.

’Fireling screeched

An annoying and generally obnoxious pest. These small monsters are weak to the point that they can not harm most others within the fire elemental plane. They breed quickly which causes them to never fully die out as a species.

They will move around using large bursts of fire mana to fly before they lose the mana and need to gather it again. If they could store fire mana and control it better they could fly for longer.

They will often terrorize villages, cities, and anything that they believe they can eat small parts of to be able to replenish some fire mana. They often follow caravans attempting to eat away at their goods.

Fighting them is considered a fool’s attempt because they will fly away in a burst of fire mana before returning again later trying to eat again. It is better to cover oneself defensively and let them believe there is no food at all. Some merchants will coat themselves in the bitter berries of the absent flame bush which deters fire mana and is grown in the boundaries between fire and earth elemental planes…’

Pest. Completely an annoying pest that would cause them a lot of problems if they were a fire type being or carried in hand fire type goods:

However, the high spatial storage protected everything. They also all had fire mana resistant items that would prevent the fire mana from bothering them. The moment these fueling screeches began to near what looked like easy food, they were in for a shock.

The fire mana they could sense around them naturally and that their instincts told them to gather more mana. They should feel that mana right in front of them, they should have been able to pick on that mana and begin stealing away bites.

Yet, they found nothing. Not a thing. They didn’t sense the meal that should be right in front of them for all of them to feast on. Instead, they were just surrounding a bunch of strange beings that were watching them carefully.

”You are all equipped and buffed with everything to resists fire mana and even reflect it. To them, monsters that steal bites of fire mana and use it as fuel and food, we look barren.” Walker’s laugh broke the silence before he reached out and caught one of the six legged bird like monsters which struggled confused at its sudden situation.

There was a large escape of breaths as everyone realized they were not in actual danger. They all actually felt somewhat disappointed since all their adrenaline and preparation fell flat. It was a strange situation that they couldn’t fully explain as anything.

Even the kk stars themselves were confused as some started to hop and fly off toward other sources of stronger fire mana. They still felt the drive to eat and grow, but if there was no food here they had to go elsewhere.

To help them along, Walker gathered a ball of denser fire mana and propelled it forward to go as far as possible. The foreland screeches started their whining leaps and flew through the air chasing it like they would never find food again.

”Well, we are doing fine. Let’s keep moving.” Gil broke the awkward silence as he noticed the flame swallowing turtles begun moving yet again as well.

As this was the case, the danger that they expected was gone. Walker had half a mind to try and eradicate them but he felt it would cause more damage than good. These were mass producing small monsters that could help feed the strange ecosystem of the fire elemental planes. Therefore, having them move about to be food for other creatures would be better.

As he thought even more, Walker wondered just what else they might begin to notice as they moved. Plenty of materials had been found along with what they received from a lucky encounter with merchants. They were heading in to denser fire mana now than what they had experienced immediately upon entering the fire elemental plane.

This wasn’t the innermost area which would be well over what they could handle, but it was clear that fire elemental plants were growing much more here than earlier.

Tree like fire elemental plants were growing to about the height of Walker and the others. Some ahead were well above them while smaller grasses appeared. Their colors all orange, red, or even yellow stood out clearly. They were nothing like the plants in the world but they were making this elemental plane feel fuller.

None of the places the party had gone through before looked anything like this. They had moved through purely elemental areas making it feel like they had been kept from seeing the real depths of what the elemental planes were.

This might actually be the case. They had even after different tasks than knowledge. So, the elemental rulers would have made it less possible for them to encounter core areas. The true centers of intense pure and potent elemental manas.

Now, they all could comprehend the real fire elemental plane before them.

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Please say no to piracy! Don’t take part in crime! Don’t patronize thieves!

Drop those golden tickets!