He had spent the last few days gathering information, packing his gear, and mentally preparing himself. The job wasn’t one he had found on a board or through any of the typical guild channels. It was more of a general call to adventurers, a challenge that could see him paired with anyone who dared to answer it. Zenith hoped that whoever he met along the way would be fellow Fairy Tail members, but he knew he couldn’t count on it. Regardless, he was determined to push himself out of his shell and be less of the introvert he had always been. The mission itself was supposed to be both thrilling and daunting. Explorers, thrillseekers, and adventurers had been warned about the strange portals that had started appearing all over Ishgar ever since the catastrophe at Talaz Lagaar. Most who ventured into these portals never returned, and those who did spoke of terrifying dangers that nearly cost them their lives. Yet, they also spoke of untold riches, exotic materials, and powerful artifacts...treasures that Zenith could hardly resist!!!!!!!
His destination was the Worth Woodsea, a dense, vibrant forest soaked in the rich Nature element Mana. Deep within it lay a cavern known as Wings of the Void, a place teeming with avian Void monsters. These creatures, though small and seemingly harmless on their own, posed a significant threat in numbers, especially with their ability to summon reinforcements with a rallying cry, or so the rumors went from those who had entered already. Could be that they were just saying that to ward off others to keep all the riches for themselves. The thought crossed Zenith's mind that this was a possibility. After all...not everyone is altruistic.
Standing at the edge of the forest, Zenith took a deep breath, his heart pounding. He was about to step into the thick of it, into the kind of adventure that had only ever been words on a page for him before now. This was his moment to prove himself, not just as a scribe or a scholar, but as a wizard and an adventurer. He had the knowledge, kinda, he had the power, kinda, now it was time to see if he had the courage. He just had to wait for the others to arrive. While he waited he'd pull out a book on various magical birds that he had bought from his father's shop; Book Land in Magnolia. Zenith turned the pages of the book. The book, titled Avian Arcana: The Mystical Birds of Earthland was a comprehensive compendium of magical birds found across the world, detailing their abilities, habitats, and the magics they were known to wield, if any. Though it didn’t contain anything specific about the Void birds he was preparing to face, he knew that understanding the magic of other avian species might give him an edge.
The chapter he was currently engrossed in focused on Phoenixes, legendary birds of fire and rebirth, and in some stories even fire and light. There was one small passage on something called a Twilight Pheonix, but all there was mentioned about that is it was evil and there was one. The text described how these majestic creatures could conjure flames that burned hotter than the sun and were capable of incinerating entire forests in moments. More fascinating, though, was their ability to rise from their own ashes, regenerating after death in a cycle of eternal rebirth. It was said that a Phoenix’s tears could heal the gravest of wounds, their magical essence infused with the life giving power of fire itself. Further along, the book discussed the Stormwings, massive birds that rode the winds of powerful tempests. He liked the part about the Moon Owls, elusive nocturnal birds that were deeply connected to lunar magic. These owls, with their silvery feathers and glowing eyes, could manipulate light and darkness, bending shadows to their will and illuminating the darkest of nights. It was rumored that Moon Owls had the ability to see through illusions and could even influence the tides with their lunar magic, making them revered by sailors and navigators who sought safe passage across the seas. The book also spoke of Songbirds of the Arcane, small yet powerful creatures known for their enchanting melodies.
Each page of the book was filled with detailed black and white pencil drawings of the birds, their magical abilities, ecology. Closing the book with one hand and a thud, Zenith stood up to stretch has he reached into a pocket and pulled out a bit of jerky from a sack. "I wonder when the others will show up" he'd say out loud to himself. Zenith was bound to stick out like a sore thumb here for he was wearing his Monopoly suit today. The dapper jacket and hat were not his normal wear but he was told the magic in it would help him grow and that was what he needed to do.
WC: 916