For once, I wasn't the one in danger.
That was the good news.
The bad news?
We were staring down a creature the size of a small mountain.
The creature, a corrupted Forest Titan, had lumbered out of the woods like it was late for a party. It was huge—green, spiny, and looking for an excuse to destroy everything in its path. I had thought it was a tree at first, but then the tree had tried to stomp me into paste, and that's when I realized I was probably wrong.
Lina was already gearing up to fight, flames crackling around her fists. "I'm so done with giant forest monsters!"
Iris had a more measured response—she was busy taking mental notes while her magic prepared a shield. "We can't take it head-on. It's corrupted. It'll resist most damage."
"Great," I muttered, looking at the creature, which was now smashing trees with its massive limbs like it was chopping firewood. "What do we do, then? Hit it with a motivational speech?"
Lina shot me a glare. "It's too big. Even I can't burn a tree giant."
I was about to suggest throwing rocks at it when the ground rumbled, and a low, rumbling voice echoed through the forest.
"...Are you done yet?"
We turned, and sure enough, Kaela emerged from the shadows of the trees, looking like she just had a nap with her boar. She was as calm as ever, walking toward us like she had nothing to fear from the colossal beast. Her expression was a mix of annoyance and mild curiosity.
"...What are you doing here?" I asked, completely caught off guard.
"I was napping," Kaela said flatly. "Until you woke up the forest, of course."
Iris looked confused. "How can you be so... unbothered?"
"I know this thing," Kaela said, pointing toward the Forest Titan. "It's corrupted. Won't listen to reason. But it can be tamed."
My eyebrows shot up. "Tamed? This thing?"
Kaela gave me an almost pitying look. "You can't fight it. You don't even understand the connection it has to the land. But I do."
With that, she took a step forward, whistling sharply.
I had no idea what happened next, but within seconds, the entire forest seemed to shift. The ground vibrated, the trees groaned, and the beast paused. The spines on its back began to tremble. Slowly, Kaela advanced, her hands raised. She spoke something in a low, melodic language that made my hair stand on end. The beast hesitated, confused, like it didn't know whether to attack or bow.
Lina took a step back. "Is she... speaking to it?"
"Yes," Iris said, stunned. "Her magic is in tune with the wild. She's controlling it."
Kaela continued, her eyes glowing faintly as she connected with the creature's spirit. The Titan's violent movements began to slow as its enraged roars softened, replaced by confused, hesitant snorts.
"Is it... working?" I whispered.
"I don't know," Lina said. "But if she tames this thing, I'm gonna start thinking we're in some kind of weird animal-themed fantasy."
Kaela didn't reply. She was too focused, her voice now steady and clear, almost hypnotic as she spoke to the beast. The atmosphere was thick with tension, as if the forest itself was holding its breath.
The Forest Titan snorted again, but this time, there was no anger in it. It lowered its head, and with a single, gentle motion, Kaela placed her hand on its rocky, moss-covered snout.
"See?" Kaela said as the Titan finally bowed its head, its body relaxing. "Told you. Taming the wild isn't about fighting."
I stood there, slack-jawed. "That was... incredible."
Kaela shrugged, clearly unimpressed. "It's just listening to me. That's the trick. I don't fight them. I work with them."
"So... that's it?" I asked, still in awe. "We're good now?"
"Yeah," Kaela said, finally turning toward us. "But you're still in the way. So, I guess you owe me something now."
I blinked. "I owe you something? For saving us?"
She cocked an eyebrow. "You owe me for wasting my nap time. And for the noise you made with the giant tree."
Lina snorted. "We didn't wake it up! It's not our fault your animals are so territorial!"
Iris was the voice of reason. "What exactly do you want from us?"
Kaela smirked. "You're going to help me with a real quest. Something worthy of my time."
I immediately regretted my next words. "We're in. Whatever it is, let's do it."
Lina shot me a look. "Are we really going to make this work?"
Iris nodded in agreement. "We might as well. She seems to know what she's doing, and we're kind of out of options."
Kaela gave a nonchalant wave. "Follow me. We'll talk later."
We followed her into the forest, the once-hostile beasts now peacefully roaming behind her, as though they were just her overly large, overly aggressive pets.
"So, uh, what exactly are we doing here?" I asked, rubbing the back of my neck awkwardly.
"We're going to find something that's actually dangerous. You're all in for a good time." Kaela grinned devilishly.
Lina groaned. "This is going to be a disaster, isn't it?"
"Probably," I said, grinning back. "But if we survive, at least I'll have a good story for my guild."
End of Chapter 20