Wystan pov:

We finally made it back to where the paths split. I placed master down on one of his nests and placed Arlin and the box next to me. I began to closely examine masters face for what disease he may have contracted. He was panting with blood coming out his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. I haven't seen this disease before. I tried to use one of the abilities I gained from the emeralds I ate, Healing sprout it makes small flowers on my body that can cure most common diseases.

However when I put the flower in masters mouth all it did was slightly stop the bleeding and slow his breathing.

Arlin: He has the Knahaten Flu. There's blood coming from every opening of his face but the blood flow is slow for now.

I was surprised, he didn't stutter and his voice was deadly serious.

Wystan: What do we do, how do I save my master?!

Arlin: Calm down we have a day or two before he succumbs to the disease, first I need a flower that grows deep in the caves west of here. The flower glows bright blue and it covers the roof of the caves. I'll prepare some ingredients I need and watch over him here. Also leave some of those flowers you grew here I might need them later.

I nodded before placing some flowers next to him and running back down to the river. If my master were to die what would happen to me? Would I have to find a new master to serve? No, I shouldn't think those thoughts my master will live. I made it to the river where I then jumped across to the other side shaking some of the trees in the process. I continued to run in search of any cave that may have the flower my master needs.

May the gods have mercy on my master I just hope Arlin can help him. A few minutes later I came to where the forest ends and the mountains start. If I want to find a cave it'll be deep in the mountains. Maybe if I can find a creature I can follow it to its cave. No that'll take to long, guess I'm going to have to find one myself. As I was searching I passed multiple creatures that avoided me due to my size. However a few were eyeing me to see if they have a chance to take me down. I passed a pack of ten wolves that began to follow a little bit behind me.

If they dont stop following me I'm going to send a spike through their stomachs. I growled at them and waved my arms trying to scare them off. The wolves only flinched still remaining in their current position. I sighed before grabbing a boulder from the ground and throwing it near them. This caused them to run and scatter down the path we came. When I saw they weren't coming back I continued my journey through the mountains for any caves.

- .. -- . / ... -.- .. .--.

The sun was beginning to set and I have yet to find a cave. If I dont find one soon my master may perish.

*Crack*

I heard something snap and crack some stones to my left. And as I turned I saw a giant snake hissing at me. But what caught my eye was the giant cave behind it. It's guarding the entrance but I have to get through it to save my master. We were surrounded by nothing but rocks and some bones.

This could prove a challenge it's as big as me if not more. But my master managed to kill a bear when he was still a infant so this should be nothing for me. We locked eyes waiting for the other to make the first move. It hissed again before slowly opening its mouth in my direction. While it slowly opened its mouth I slowly picked up a small boulder, still maintaining eye contact with each other.

I threw the boulder as the snake shot some bright green liquid out. When the liquid made contact with the boulder it immediately began to disintegrate into a mere pebble. I got over my shock as I stomped the ground with my right foot sending spikes toward it. But the snake somehow moved out the way of the spikes before it was pierced. This time the snake went on the offensive as it burrowed deep into the ground.

I began to look around trying to spot any sign of the snake. I began to morph my right hand into a blade in preparation to severe its head. The ground beneath me began to shake as I tried to jump out the way. But I wasn't fast enough as the snake latched onto my leg sending some green liquid into it. My leg began to dissolve causing me to fall as I shanked my blade into its side making it retreat back into the ground.

I was in immense pain but my leg began to form back but slower due to the toxin. With me on the ground I was at a disadvantage so I tried to lift myself onto a nearby boulder. However, the snake came out the ground again but this time it coiled around me and squeezed. I felt my stone body begin to slightly crack, my arms and leg were trapped as it slowly opened its mouth ready to bite down on my head. I remember Rufus taught me to launch spikes from my body when I was still a small golem, but I have yet to try it.

He told me to think of it as morphing my body into blades like my hands. I began to focus, and just as the snake was about to bite down several large spikes shot out of my body. This caused the snake to hiss in pain and loosen its hold on me as it tried to get off the spikes. By this time my leg was now fully reformed, so I retracted my spikes and grabbed the snake by the head before tossing it into the mountain side. The force of the impact caused a small rockslide to occur sending rocks tumbling down on its head, further injuring the snake.

It seemed it wasn't able to burrow into the ground anymore without being in pain, as it got in a position to strike. I began to slowly approach it with my blade hand to my side ready to kill it. I just had to time its attack very carefully.
The snake raised its head slightly and opened its mouth to show it dripping with toxin. If I fail to kill this snake in my next attack its venom will melt my entire body, and if I die so does my master.

It reared back and began to hiss more loudly as it produced more venom. I was a about to be a short distance away when the snake finally lunged forward to bite me. I sidestepped out the way and proceeded to jump on top of it hugging it. With it immobilized I raised my right hand blade and drived it deep into its skull hearing a nice crunch. I stabbed it once more just to be sure it was finally dead. Its body was limp as I pushed it off me and took this time to relax after that long battle.

I looked up at the sky to see the sun about to set! This is no time to relax my master is dying, and I have a job to finish! I quickly got up and made my way into the cave the snake was guarding. It was dark and damp inside but I could still see better than most creatures in the darkness. I only managed to come across smaller tunnels connected to the large main one I'm following. After awhile I've finally come to the large chamber this tunnel was connected to, and I now know why that snake was so keen on guarding the entrance.

It was a mother, she was protecting her eggs, there were about 25 eggs in the clutch and above them were the glowing blue flowers Arlin needed. But they're not my concern my master takes priority over everything else. I gathered a good handful in case master needed more. As I was about to leave I began to hear one of the eggs hatching. Not a moment later a hatchling popped out looking around curiously before its eyes landed on me. It had a patch of white skin around its left eye and lighter colored irises. It looked at me with slight curiosity and a hint of fear. I wonder if it can sense I killed its mother, hope it won't hold a grudge.

With that thought I quickly ran back to the entrance of the cave ready to return back to my master. But as I got closer to the exit I heard a sound of many feet and the tearing of meat. Is there another predator nearby? I cautiously approached the exit before peeking around the corner at the surrounding area. There I saw two centipedes eating away at the snake carcass.

I looked at the sky just to see stars and the moon rising. That fight with the snake took to long and these centipedes seem the type to attack anything on sight. I don't have time to fight these two centipedes my master needs me. As I was thinking of a way to get past them without a fight, I heard several growls from were the centipedes were feasting. It turns out the pack of wolves that followed me earlier came back to the smell of the carcass. The centipedes hissed loudly and brandished their pincers at them.

The wolves didn't seemed deterred as they growled louder and bared their teeth at them. They began to slowly encircle them forcing the centipedes to step away from the carcass and huddle close together. This was my chance as they left a opening to their right. I got up and ran past the fight that was about to ensue. It seems only the centipedes noticed me run by, but they couldn't chase me due to the wolf pack. I began to run back down to the river still keeping the flowers safe in my left hand.

The moon has fully risen by the time I made it back to the river. Hopefully I'm not to late to deliver the flowers. I jumped back across the river and began to run back to where my master laid. As I was making my way over I began to think, did any creatures attacked my master in his weakened state? Was Arlin able to fight it off? Is Arlin even capable of combat?!

These thoughts made me have a bad feeling causing me to run faster. I saw the trees I pushed aside to get to the river up ahead. Almost there, my master will be right there with Arlin watching over him....right?

Arlin: AAAHHH!!!

Oh no, something is happening! I charged through the trees prepared for combat. There I saw Arlin pinned down by a giant centipede as he tried to push its head away. I quickly grabbed the centipede and threw it to the ground before stomping on its head killing it. I dont know how it managed to get here but at least my master wasn't injured.

Arlin: T-thank you Wystan, I have no idea how that thing got here, did you manage to find the flower?

I nodded and handed the plants over. He grabbed them and swiftly placed one into a cauldron on top of a nearby fire. There were also some strange plants on a cloth a safe distance away from the fire. So this is what he meant by preparing the ingredients he needed. Arlin began to stir the contents of the cauldron while muttering some words. The contents began to glow purple before returning back to its murky brown color. While he was doing this I was overlooking my masters condition.

His breathing was heavy but not rapid, the blood on his face was wiped off and dripping out slower than before. It seems his condition has improved nicely but his life may still be in danger.

Arlin: Wystan could you please cool down the cauldron for a moment? I need to prepare a cup for him to drink out of.

I nodded before picking the cauldron off of the fire and fanning air onto it, quickly making it go from scorching hot to pleasantly warm. By the time I was done Arlin came back with a flask in his hand.

Arlin: Alright, carefully pour it into this flask.

I slowly tipped it over until most of the flask was full. This potion should cure my master, if not at least help him recover. Arlin took the flask to my master before carefully propping up his head and pouring it into his mouth. After a moment he swallowed it and his breathing began to slow and the bleeding stopped. But he was still asleep just more peacefully now.

Arlin: That's all we can do for now, if he doesn't wake up by tomorrow we'll give him more of the potion but for now we have to wait.

I nodded before sitting next to my master on watch. Arlin went to sleep on one of my masters previous nests. If I'm not mistaken, we maybe have a day or two before the Land Gaurdian comes to recover us. I know you'll wake up soon master this is your first quest and already you have grown literally and figuratively.

Rest well...