The forest was quiet the morning after the confrontation with the Obsidian Court too quiet Birds perched silently on high branches as if listening for distant danger Small magical insects hovered without their usual shimmering dances The warden spirit stood watch over the sanctuary its glow gentler than the night before as if conserving strength for the battles yet to come

Evan wandered along the sanctuary’s perimeter studying the living barriers The vines had grown thicker overnight weaving patterns like interlocking shields Each root seemed alive responding to the presence of humans and beasts alike He touched a vine gently feeling its pulse of mana It reacted to him with a soft shimmer as if greeting an old friend

Dalen approached carrying a stack of wooden boards and rolled parchments The scouts have returned from the northern hills he said They found something strange

Evan looked up What did they find

Dalen unrolled a large sheet onto a flat rock revealing a hand drawn map The scouts marked areas where magical creatures once roamed yet recent patrols found nothing The map showed clusters of X marks representing vanished species trails suddenly ending near the pines or disappearing entirely into the deep woods

Evan surveyed the map with growing concern How many species are missing

Dalen pointed at the marks At least twelve Families of crystal horn deer forest shell turtles mana owls even a small group of ember foxes All gone within the past two weeks

Evan felt a cold heaviness in his chest This is not natural disappearance This is targeted removal

Dalen nodded Someone is driving them out capturing them or forcing them into hiding Evan traced the map lines connecting the missing areas They all vanish near the same edge of the forest

The western frontier Evan said quietly The border closest to Varrick’s trading roads

Dalen exhaled sharply So he is funneling the creatures to his estate or buyers beyond the capital

Evan looked at the map then at the forest around them The scale of the operation stunned him This was not poaching This was systematic extraction Varrick wanted the rarest species not for study not for preservation but for prestige power and profit

The elder approached leaning on his staff His expression grave The land grieves Wilder The silence is not peace It is despair The creatures flee because they feel the forest growing weaker

Evan felt urgency burning in his bones If we do nothing more species will vanish forever

Dalen placed the boards on the rock One board held sketches of traps discovered by scouts Small devices half buried in the earth with faint glowing inscriptions Evan lifted one carefully examining its construction This is different from the earlier snare crystals It looks more advanced

Dalen said The scouts believe these newer traps siphon mana without harming the creature too quickly They drain enough power to immobilize it but keep it alive for transport

Evan’s jaw tightened Varrick’s hunters have upgraded their tools And they are testing them near the sanctuary

The elder tapped the board Find every one of these devices Remove them Destroy them But we must also know where they lead We must know Varrick’s network

Evan nodded We need to track the poachers not just stop the traps If we want to protect the beasts we must know where the hunters go We follow the vanishing paths

He turned toward the sanctuary observing the animals within the lynx the thunder cub the hawk the hares each creature fighting to survive Varrick would take them too if he had the chance

Dalen reached for his spear I will gather the scouts We track the traps We track the hunters We will learn the pattern

Evan nodded but stopped him Wait I want to join the patrols this time

Dalen frowned You are too important to risk on a scouting mission

Evan shook his head firmly If I want to protect this land I must face what threatens it You said the scouts found strange signs I need to see them myself

Dalen sighed but accepted Your call Guardian We leave at dusk

As the day passed Evan prepared his pack rope medical tools fabric wraps a waterskin and several small vials containing herbal smoke used to calm frightened beasts The warden spirit approached him its steps silent Evan placed a hand on its head

I will protect your forest he whispered

The spirit lowered its antlers touching his chest then lifted them toward the setting sun

At dusk the scouts assembled Dalen at the front Evan beside him Each carried light packs and quiet determination The forest ahead darkened into deep shadows Evan felt tension in the air as if the trees braced themselves

They moved into the woods following faint trails prints broken branches disturbed soil Evan’s tracking skills sharpened as he scanned each sign

Hours later they reached an area marked on the map The air smelled faintly metallic Evan crouched near a tree root where a shallow hole hid a cracked device glowing with dim purple light

Another trap Evan murmured The poachers abandoned it when it malfunctioned

Dalen scanned the trees They must be close

Just then Evan noticed something strange The prints around the trap were not just human There were dragging marks like cages pulled across the ground And there were claw marks deep desperate gouges from creatures trying to escape

Evan swallowed hard They are transporting multiple animals together This is worse than we thought

Following the claw marks the group moved deeper into the woods until the trees parted revealing a narrow path worn by wagon wheels recently used A faint lantern glow flickered in the distance

Dalen whispered Someone is moving now

Evan’s heart pounded This is our chance to track them to their camp to learn where the animals are being taken

He motioned for the scouts to stay low creeping closer inch by inch The lantern light grew brighter voices echoing through the trees Hard voices confident voices discussing prices quotas and upcoming deliveries

Evan exchanged a heavy glance with Dalen

They had found a poacher convoy

And beyond this convoy somewhere in the dark lay the truth
A path that led directly toward Lord Varrick