Brackenwatch sat silent through the night. Erian remained awake longer than the others, taking notes by lantern light. The message carved under the table pressed against his thoughts. “Watch the ridge.” Rangers did not carve warnings unless they faced something dangerous enough that writing a report would take too long. Something forced them to leave quickly but without signs of violence. That meant intimidation, not battle. Someone or something wanted the outpost silent.

At dawn the team prepared to explore the ridge. The northern ridge was known for steep paths, old trees, and dense thickets where predator species roamed. Rangers stationed here were trained to navigate the terrain, but Erian knew the black market was also adept at using natural cover. Illegal handlers often marched beasts through ridge paths to avoid detection. The terrain masked tracks and mana signatures.

The team moved carefully along a narrow trail. Fog drifted between tall cedars. Bird calls echoed across the slope. The forest seemed alive yet uneasy. Jana pointed out broken branches ahead. Rolan knelt beside a patch of disturbed soil and noted deep impressions left by heavy crates. Daris sensed a trace of suppression magic lingering in the air. Erian recognized it. The same signature as the traces found in the warehouse near the canal. The black market’s handlers passed through here recently.

They followed the trail until it reached a fork. One path led upward toward a steep cliff. The other dipped into a ravine where the trees grew thicker. Selin examined signs on the ground and determined the handlers likely took the ravine path. The ground there showed faint marks of dragged objects. Heavy crates, likely containing beasts.

As they descended the ravine the forest grew darker. The air cooled. Erian felt mana currents shift strangely. The natural flow of the region felt disrupted. Beasts usually left subtle echoes as they moved. Mana vibrations that rangers could sense. But here the forest felt empty. Silent. Something had driven creatures away.

The team found a narrow creek at the bottom of the ravine. Near the water’s edge lay more tracks. Claw marks. Some small. Some large. As if different species were dragged through the area. But one set of tracks drew Erian’s attention. They were wide and deep with a staggering gait. A trace of crystalline shimmer lined the impressions. Selin recognized it. A Frostmane Elk. A rare frontier species known for stabilizing mana flow across ridge habitats. Removing one could destabilize the region.

Erian asked Jana to scout ahead. She moved silently through the trees. Minutes later she returned with urgent eyes. She reported hearing metal clinks deeper in the ravine. Voices speaking softly. At least three or four men. Possibly more. They guarded something.

The team crouched and moved toward the source of the sound. Erian kept his breathing steady. He knew a confrontation could risk the safety of any captive beasts. They approached a clearing hidden behind thick brush. Through gaps in the branches Erian saw a camp. Wooden crates stacked beside an unlit fire pit. Three cages arranged in a circle. Inside one cage lay a Frostmane Elk. Its breath came in slow, pained waves. Its mane shimmered faintly with icy glow.

Two handlers stood nearby checking the locks. A third sat at a table writing something. Possibly inventory notes. Erian motioned the team to stay hidden. He needed information.

The voices carried across the clearing. One handler complained about delays. He said Vorrek demanded beasts delivered to the southern arena by the end of the week. Another said the northern route was becoming too risky because an inspector chased their supply lines. Erian listened carefully. They confirmed Vorrek commanded the captures. They also confirmed his investigation slowed the black market’s operations. But the next words chilled him. The handlers were told to relocate the beasts tonight and leave no trace of the camp. If necessary they were instructed to destroy evidence, including the captive beasts.

Erian felt a tightness in his chest. He could not let that happen.

He gestured to Rolan. The enforcement officer nodded. They needed a plan that removed handlers without harming the beasts. Selin suggested distracting them toward the creek. Daris offered to disable the suppression runes from a distance. Erian chose a combined approach. Daris would weaken the suppression spells. Jana would create noise near the far edge of the clearing. When handlers moved to investigate Rolan and Selin would disarm them.

The plan began smoothly. Daris whispered a counter chant and flicked a rune stone toward the cages. The suppression aura thinned. The beasts inside calmed slightly. Jana moved silently until she reached a position across the clearing. She tossed a stone into dense brush. The noise caught the handlers’ attention. Two moved toward the sound.

Rolan and Selin acted quickly. They approached the remaining handler from opposite sides. Rolan disarmed him while Selin seized the notes on the table. The other two heard the commotion and returned. Jana intercepted one with swift footwork, kicking his leg from under him. Erian approached the last handler and presented his insignia. The man froze.

Within moments the camp fell under control. The handlers were restrained and their supplies seized. Erian opened the cage of the Frostmane Elk slowly. The creature lifted its head weakly. Its icy mane glowed faintly in morning light. He inspected the elk’s injuries. Suppression spells had weakened its mana flow but it still clung to life. Returning it to its habitat was essential. Removing even one Frostmane destabilized regional mana currents.

As the team secured the camp Erian reviewed the captured documents. They contained inventory lists, delivery routes, and payment ledgers. A clear connection tied this camp to Vorrek’s central operations. Even more unsettling was a note stating that Vorrek planned a massive event soon. Something called the “Grand Arena Week.” They sought rare beasts for the spectacle. The Frostmane Elk was one of many.

Erian looked around the clearing. Distant echoes of disturbed mana still lingered. The forest felt strained. The rangers fled because they saw something larger forming. Something the frontier could not withstand.

Rolan asked what the next step would be. Erian folded the documents and looked toward the ridge peaks.

The next step was clear.

They had to find Vorrek’s main supply hub.

The frontier was only the beginning.

The fight would soon reach the heart of the black market.