The Five-headed Lizard's blood filled several containers, and at this ti, the team that went looking for the monster's nest had news.
The young adventurers split into six groups to search the forest, with Caglis's team discovering the Five-headed Lizard's nest about two miles away in a valley, behind a cliff covered in moss.
The nest was found in a crevice below a sloping rock, hundreds of ters long. The exploration team descended to the valley floor, parting dense, arm-thick vines hanging from the top of the rock to reveal the foul-slling nest.
Following Brand's orders, the young adventurers didn't directly enter the nest but sent soone back to report. Upon hearing the news, Brand imdiately put down the alchemy tools he was working with and hurried over with the others.
The team traversed the dense forest until they reached the top of the valley. Brand observed the terrain, which matched the information provided by the ssenger. A giant rock, which seed to have fallen from a towering cliff on one side, spanned the valley. Apart from the exposed white rock, it was covered in green vegetation.
The deeper they ventured into the Black Forest, the less noticeable the effects of the seasons. Though it was now the winter season in Tonyger, with all things withering, the temperature rose as they moved south into the forest.
The valley forest was lush as if in midsumr, with a distant mountain stream forming a waterfall on the cliff, spraying water that looked like a white ribbon.
Descending step by step down the valley, Brand and his group t Caglis and his team at the bottom near a pool. Caglis and his team were resting—lia had twisted her ankle when entering the valley and was sitting on a rock by the pool, cared for by several people.
Brand glanced at lia—he knew of this Apprentice Priest but couldn't help noticing her exposed calf—well-proportioned and dazzlingly white, though her ankle was slightly swollen. The young man couldn't help but be montarily stunned.
He quietly walked over and tapped Caglis's shoulder armor, softly asking, "Are you sure she's a man?"
Caglis shook his head. "Lord, you know, in the Fla scriptures, the Divine Son has no gender. As long as they wear the Divine Robe, it doesn't matter what other parts they have or lack."
The young man grinned lecherously and gestured to his chest, replying in the crude and straightforward manner learned in the army.
Brand coughed and asked, "So, you're saying she's a woman?"
Caglis shrugged. "I didn't say that. Since I t lia, she's either been wearing the Divine Robe or dressed in n's clothing. I think only her father or her wet nurse knows this secret."
"lia's father hoped from a young age that she would beco a mber of the clergy."
"Isn't that a good thing?"
Caglis smiled mysteriously and then said, "Lord, let's go down and take a look."
Brand nodded. After another glance at lia, he led the others into the valley, the Five-headed Lizard's nest deep in the crevice beneath the rock.
Though it was called a crevice, it was relative to the height of the rock. As Brand walked, he pushed aside the thriving vines—many small, unnad lizards were startled from the green plants, scattering in all directions. He looked up and saw the crevice under the rock, which was at least sixteen or seventeen ters high, and the top couldn't be seen. A waterfall fell from the edge, creating a curtain of water at the boundary of light and darkness.
A faint rainbow hung on the water curtain.
"Beautiful," the noble daughter said, holding Brand's hand and feeling a sense of security. She looked at the rainbow and couldn't help but exclaim.
"Beautiful, indeed," Caglis said, fanning his nose with his tal-gloved hand. "But a bit slly."
A nauseating stench wafted from the depths of the crevice. Everyone looked in that direction but could only see the dark, tens-of-ters-wide crevice extending inward without an end in sight.
Brand drew the Earth Sword and held it in his hand, and the others followed suit, the sound of tal ringing behind him.
Only Kulan lit a torch, the light brightening the pit-riddled ground. So broken stones cast long, fire-lit shadows, looking like lines pointing into the depths of the crevice.
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