Hi, I’m Kora, the local Druid and also a Level 5 adventurer.

  Adventurers have various responsibilities. Mine is overseeing the forest.

  You see, sometimes plants or animals mutate, things get out of hand, and the delicate balance of the forest falls into disarray. That’s where I come in. Druids keep the forest healthy. They keep it safe.

  Well, I can’t say it’s exactly safe – after all, there are still monsters – but at least it is predictable.

  The forest here (minus its deeper parts) is known as a newbie-friendly area. The greenhorns come here to raise their level and test their new skills. The worst monster that can spawn here is a goblin.

  Yeah, a goblin... So the newbies are safe and well. Unless they get stupid, that is.

  As a druid, I know well that goblins should not be underestimated. Goblins that are not kept in check can spawn a Goblin Nest – and that can lead to a goblin raid.

  Then, these puny goblins aren’t so funny anymore.

  It's all serious business.

  Or, for example, a bear – not a monster, but an animal – suddenly decides to Mutate.

  That’s also bad news for newbie adventurers.

  Usually, we leave bears alone, because they help keep pesky monsters like goblins in check.

  But a mutant, or an evolved variant as some like to call it, is a different matter.

  It can upset the delicate balance of the forest and needs to be culled.

  My motto is: ‘Keep it safe, keep it predictable.’

  So anyway, that’s why I am so perplexed today.

  As usual, I go out into the forest to check on its health. And while I do, I like to harvest useful herbs and plants for DruidicSalves. RedBerry, for example, can be used to make a minor HealthSalve.

  But... but if you’re a druid like me and know its secrets, a secondary and much more valuable salve can be extracted – the BerserkerSalve.

  This is my side hustle.

  I make potions and sell them back to the Guild.

  And that is why I am so perplexed!

  The forest is devoid of berries. None, zilch, nada!

  The berry bushes are picked clean.

  Alright, it happens. Goblins eat them, bears love them too, even the hungry adventurer will gather some.

  But not all.

  I’ve been to all five of my secret – emphasis on secret – spots, and even they are plundered.

  Something is not right.

  The forest is out of balance.

  Fearing a mutant at large, I begin my investigation.

  Now aware of something odd, I start spotting clues.

  Clues that make no sense.

  At first, I dismissed the oddity – but three times is no coincidence.

  There are pebbles by the barren patches.

  Not just pebbles– unnaturally rectangular pebbles.

  And a perfect cube is a rare sight in nature. That’s why this is so very odd.

  Even my DruidAura tingles as I inspect the pebbles.

  I detect an unpleasant energy in the stones.

  A… Distortion.

  Something or someone has changed the common pebble into an uncommon square variety.

  A mutant?

  A wild Earth Elemental?

  Or even worse... a crazed wizard.

  Either way, I must investigate.

  Whatever IT is, it leaves plenty of clues.

  A trail of oddly rectangular pebbles.

  A perfectly square imprint in the ground.

  A hole in the forest floor– cubical in shape.

  Other geometrical anomalies.

  The trail leads from one berry bush to another.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  And it’s so precise it almost follows a straight line. A feat even the most experienced scout would struggle to pull off in this dense forest.

  But as a Druid, I sort of know these things.

  I follow the hot trail. Day turns to evening. The sky darkens.

  It would be wise for me to turn back.

  But I can’t.

  I know I’m close.

  But even more than that – I’m curious.

  What exactly is IT?

  That’s when I spot it.

  Yet another anomaly.

  It’s a berry bush, alright. But all its berries are... square. Square!

  Nature doesn’t do that.

  The bush had somehow Mutated.

  No longer is it predictable. No longer is it safe.

  This spells uncertainty. An unknown change.

  Somewhat taken aback, I identify them.

  Still RedBerry, but not quite.

  Its rarity has jumped to uncommon. The effects mostly remain the same – mostly.

  Originally, RedBerry would have:

  Effects:

  [x] +5 Morale (temporary, lasts 10 minutes)

  [x] Slightly sticky fingers

  [x] May attract monsters and animals

  But now there’s an additional effect:

  [x] Loved by non-Euclidean entities

  What is a non-Euclidean entity, anyway?

  That’s a first for me.

  Just as I’m wondering about IT, my DruidAura flares up.

  I detect more of this Distortion.

  Perhaps… the source of it.

  I look up—at the being. The creature.

  Calling it a creature might be too much.

  I’m not even sure what I’m seeing.

  It’s a shadow.

  A mass of swirling darkness.

  And somehow, it feels... alive.

  There’s a Soul in there – somewhere deep inside the ebony vortex.

  That’s when a cube is launched at me.

  IT rips a piece of dirt from the earth and flings it.

  Takes me by surprise.

  The dirt cube smashes into me – I yelp.

  But... I take no damage.

  Of course I don’t. It’s only dirt.

  This doesn’t stop the angry shadow.

  It keeps throwing.

  And it’s quick – too quick to allow me to cast any spells.

  I stumble. I fall.

  If this continues, I’ll be buried alive.

  It’s not time to panic.

  I need to pull myself together.

  I open my mouth to chant ThornWall – a trusty protection spell.

  That was a critical mistake.

  My mouth fills with dirt.

  Clumps of earthy filth clog my throat.

  Who knew IT could throw with such proficiency?

  It must have a dedicated Skill.

  As I spit out gritty clumps, the cubes keep coming.

  I’m pummeled.

  I didn’t expect to be taken down so easily.

  I’m a Level 5 Druid, after all.

  And as a druid, I should know better than to underestimate the power of dirt.

  I’ve erred greatly today.

  In a delirious hope for mercy, I wave at the shadow in surrender.

  There’s no way IT understands the gesture.

  And even if IT does – monsters don’t show mercy.

  They never do.

  And yet...

  The assault stops.

  In that moment of stillness, I find myself staring into the abyss of darkness.

  And IT stares back.

  Facing such overwhelming darkness, I feel small.

  Insignificant.

  Is this my chance to cast a spell?

  To FIGHT or FLEE?

  No.

  Somehow, I feel like I’m being tested.

  I sense that IT is... intelligent.

  This is more than a forest monster.

  More than a rogue elemental.

  If it wanted me dead—it would have done so.

  So what does IT want?

  “Sorry?” I utter in faint hope.

  “B???????E???????G?????O?????N?????E???????”

  It booms directly into my mind.

  A command so powerful it shakes my very soul.

  I turn. I FLEE. IT allows me to do so.

  As I race through the forest, breath ragged, I realize something:

  It might make no sense to an average adventurer,

  but I’m not going to report this to the Guild.

  Why?

  Because I’m a Druid. That’s the short answer.

  The long answer?

  Whatever IT is... it has a Soul.

  One disturbingly similar to a human’s.

  IT is a spirit of some kind. And not the evil undead kind.

  IT reacted with righteous anger – not malice.

  And IT let me go.

  It’s not unlikely that IT is a forest guardian.

  Birthed by nature to protect itself from the greed of adventurers.

  Or maybe…

  IT is the Avatar of the forest – a spirit acting on nature’s will.

  I know it’s wishful thinking.

  But before I let the Guild label it a threat...

  I want to learn.

  My motto used to be:

  ‘Keep it safe, keep it predictable.’

  I throw that away.

  I want to understand IT.

  I want to learn IT,

  I want to keep IT all to myself.

  IT.

  I hope the resolution is acceptable.

  In any case, if this feel stupid, I am open to suggestions.