Beast Evolution Forge

Chapter 93 The Council of Guardians

Deep within the heart of the forest, far from where Vell and his group had just battled the monstrous guardian, there lay a hidden sanctuary. This place was untouched by the chaos that had begun to spread through the forest. The air here was thick with mana, and the trees towered higher than any Vell had seen, their leaves shimmering with an otherworldly glow. In the center of this sanctuary stood a massive stone table, around which sat five figures, each radiating an aura of immense power.

These were the Forest Guardians, ancient beings who had watched over the forest for thousands of years. They were humanoid in form, but their features were otherworldly—skin like bark, eyes that glowed with the light of the sun, and hair that flowed like vines. They were the true rulers of the forest, and to them, the queen had been nothing more than a caretaker, a child they had entrusted with a small portion of their domain.

The table was carved with intricate runes, and the air around it hummed with energy. The Guardians sat in silence for a moment, their expressions unreadable, until one of them, a tall figure with a crown of antlers spoke.

"The queen is dead," he said, his voice deep and resonant, like the rumble of distant thunder. "A human has slain her."

Another Guardian, a woman with hair like flowing water, leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. "She was weak," she said, her voice cold and dismissive. "We gave her power, and she squandered it. Her death is of no consequence."

A third Guardian, a massive figure with skin like stone, slammed his fist on the table, causing the ground to tremble. "No consequence? The human has defied us! He has disrupted the balance of the forest. This cannot go unpunished."

The antlered Guardian raised a hand, silencing the others. "The human is strong," he admitted, his tone measured. "Stronger than we anticipated. But he is still just a human. He cannot hope to stand against us."

The water-haired Guardian smirked, her eyes gleaming with arrogance. "Let him come. Let him face the true power of the forest. He will learn the folly of his actions."

"We should not wait for him to come to us. We should hunt him down and crush him before he grows stronger." The stone-skinned Guardian growled, his voice like grinding boulders.

The antlered Guardian shook his head. "No. We will not lower ourselves to hunting him like common beasts. Let him come to us. We will show him the difference between a human and guardian."

"We should be thankful though, the human did remove that annoying dungeon. The queen at least did something right."

"Hmph, doesn't excuse how she got killed by the same human. This is a serious matter, we either kill him or our home might just collapse."

The meeting didn't last long and as it concluded, the Guardians dispersed, each returning to their respective domains. The forest was vast, and they had much to prepare. The human would come, and when he did, they would be ready.

---

Meanwhile, far from the sanctuary, Vell and his group continued their journey through the forest, hunting and killing any monster or lesser guardian they come across. 'Hmm, something is strange, these monsters are too weak to be the guardians?'

[Yeah, i think these are just lesser monsters, probably sent out to test you out.]

'well that's stupid, they should know how strong I am, after all, I killed their queen.' He looked back at his team, seeing how they were all tired from all the fighting. He scanned the area and held up his hand, "ok, we will make camp here, seat back and relax, i will go hunt us some meat."

As he disappeared behind the trees, the girls were left behind to set up camp. The atmosphere was tense, but the exhaustion from the constant battles had left them too tired to maintain their usual guarded demeanors. They gathered around a small clearing, each finding a spot to sit and rest. The silence was heavy, but it wasn't long before someone broke it.

Yenna was the first to speak, her voice calm but carrying a hint of concern. "We've been fighting non-stop since the queen's death. Do you think it's going to get worse?"

Wren, perched on a low branch above them, tilted her head. "It's already worse. The forest feels... different. Like it's alive and angry."

Jia, who had been sitting quietly with her back against a tree, finally spoke up. Her voice was soft, almost a whisper. "The queen's death has upset the balance. The forest is reacting to it. The guardians... they won't let this go unpunished."

"You sound like you know more about this than you're letting on. Care to share?" Kana asked while sharpening her blade.

She hesitated, her gaze dropping to the ground. "The queen... she wasn't the true ruler of the forest. She was just a caretaker, someone the guardians entrusted with a small part of their domain. The real power lies with them. They've been here for thousands of years, and they won't tolerate any threat to the forest's balance."

"So, what you're saying is, we're not just dealing with monsters anymore. We're up against the actual rulers of this place?" Jolly asked, her expression filled with worry.

Jia nodded slowly. "Yes. And they're far more powerful than the queen ever was."

Yenna sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Great. Just what we needed. More powerful enemies."

Kana scoffed, her voice tinged with frustration. "It's not like we had a choice. Vell made it clear we're not backing down. And honestly, after everything we've been through, I'm not sure I want to."

Wren jumped down from the branch, landing gracefully beside Yenna. "We've faced impossible odds before. We'll do it again. Besides, we're stronger now than we were when we first started."

Jia nodded in agreement, though her expression was still troubled. "Yeah, but these guardians... they're not just strong. They're ancient. They've been around for thousands of years. How are we supposed to fight something like that?"

"We don't have to fight them alone. We have Vell. And... we have each other." Jolly tried to be optimistic but this was not going to save them.

Kana snorted, her tone bitter. "Yeah, because we've all been such a great team so far."

Yenna shot her a sharp look. "Kana, enough. We're all tired, but that's no excuse to start picking fights. We need to stick together if we're going to survive this."

She glared at Yenna for a moment before sighing and looking away. "Fine. But don't expect me to trust everyone here just because we're in the same group."

"I understand how you feel. I've lost everything too. But if we don't trust each other, even just a little, we're not going to make it." Jolly replied, her expression and tone soft.

"She's right. We're all in this together, whether we like it or not. And honestly, I'd rather have you guys watching my back than anyone else." Wren said, leaning against a tree.

The group fell into a contemplative silence, each lost in their own thoughts. The weight of what they were facing was heavy, but there was a sense of unity forming among them, however fragile it might be.

After a while, Yenna broke the silence again, her voice softer this time. "Do you think Vell knows what we're up against? The guardians, I mean."

Jia shook her head. "I'm not sure. But if anyone can figure it out, it's him. He's... different. Stronger than any human I've ever met."

Kana smirked, though there was no humor in it. "Yeah, well, let's hope that's enough. Because if it's not, we're all dead."

Jolly sighed, leaning her head back against the tree. "Cheerful thought, Kana. Thanks for that."

"Just being realistic." She shrugged, her expression unapologetic.

As the conversation lulled, the sound of rustling leaves caught their attention. They all tensed, reaching for their weapons, but relaxed when Vell emerged from the trees, carrying a large boar over his shoulder.

"Food's here," he said, his tone casual as if he hadn't just been listening to their entire conversation. "Let's eat and rest. We've got a long day ahead of us."

The girls exchanged glances, a silent understanding passing between them. Whatever was coming, they would face it together. And with Vell leading the way, they had a fighting chance.

[Master, you expanded you scan of the forest and noticed the presence of powerful monsters, I advise you suppress your power and let the kids deal with them]

'Yeah, i was thinking the same, I can't keep protecting them forever. This will be a good chance to test their limits.'

[You have ample mana to evolve them, why are you not doing that?]

'I have my reasons, they need to be pushed beyond their limits, power without experience will mean nothing.'

[I see...What about you?]

'Oh, you mean my own evolution?'