With the help of the elf’s magic, the tight and twisting tunnel that led into this underground cave was torn open. With a few waves of their hands, and an outpouring of mana, they straightened out the tunnel and tore it wide open, easily tripling its size so that it was now gaping wide and could be easily entered.

Throughout the entire process, as this description entered her mind, Belladonna had to hold in her laughs. However the moment the first person entered the new hole, she immediately broke. It was just too hard to resist.

That got her a few strange, confused and frightened looks, but she didn’t care.

Exiting the tunnel through the awkward hole in the ground, Belladonna helped the prisoners out one by one, even if they shuddered and cowered at her touch, before getting the elf to collapse the tunnel behind them.

Partly so that no other Grimshawls would be able to use it as a nest in the future, partly so no one would have to find the door that was hidden down there and suffer the same painful experience she did. And partly because she was still getting the giggles every time she looked at it.

Thankfully, leading the people back to the city was not too painful of an experience. Although she encountered one or two stray beasts, or Grimshawls who had not yet returned to the nest, there was nothing that she could not handle with a few [Blood Bullets] or spike shots from Beans’ tail.

However even if they were nothing to Belladonna, just one of these roaming beasts would have been enough to tear most of these people apart before the others could subdue it, especially the children.

So whilst she found the escort quest boring, repetitive and time consuming, the people that she was escorted started to quickly change their minds. Losing their fear towards the monster in human skin, and started to silently praise the gods for sending the Red Eyed Saviour to them.

If it was not for this woman, none of them would have survived. Well, perhaps the mage would have, but it would not have nearly been as much of a breeze as this, as without someone to defend them many mages were hopeless in combat.

You try carefully reciting verses and making intricate hand signs, while a moose charges full speed towards you. Even if you didn’t stumble over your words, a single lapse in concentration meant getting splattered.

Plus... Gods helped you if you missed your spell.

Half of the escort party were dumped, I mean, safely returned to the farms where there was plenty of hugging, kissing and crying. They made sure to tell her, through tear streaked eyes, that they would send the reward to the Tower to collect, and a few of them refused to let her leave without shoving some produce into her hands as an extra token of gratitude.

Belladonna was certainly not one to turn up free food.

By the time she returned to the city, only a pair of prisoners remained, as their farm homes had been completely ravaged and destroyed, as well as the mage who kept basking in the sun whenever they stopped.

Even if it was a strange habit, it had caused the colouration to return to their wood features. Turning them from a dull and dead grey to a vibrant and lively brown.

"I will return to my people." The elf said, when questioned on what they would do next, "The Tower of Mystica has a teleportation facility to its members. Were it more affordable to use, and able to move carts of cargo, I would never have been in this mess in the first place. Clearly, I will need to have a discussion with my father over security going forwards so it does not happen again.

Should you ever find yourself in Drissal, show this token and you will be welcomed as a friend."

They held out their hand, the wood of their fingers growing outwards and swirling together, until they formed a miniature, 2D depiction of a tree with golden leaves. Breaking the tree off of their fingers, the elf placed it in Belladonna’s hand.

"Do not worry, when I return home I will make sure that a formal gift of gratitude is sent to your Matriarch for sending one of her kin to our aid." They added with a smile, before brushing their hand affectionately across Belladonna’s cheek in a display that was far too close and romantic for strangers.

However before Belladonna could say as much on the subject, or ask about what this elf knew of her so-called ’Matriarch’ they had already wandered off.

She glanced down at the strange tree emblem in her hands, turning it over a few times, before placing it in her bottomless bag.

"Drissal... I’ll have to add that one to the list." Belladonna muttered to herself, taking one last look at the departing elf, before walking off herself.

After dropping the remaining two prisoners off with the guards, so that they were officially the city’s problem now, Belladonna headed to the nearest inn and booked a room. She headed inside, set up her usual deal with Sebbie and quickly logged off.

***

Sitting up in her chair, Valerie stretched a few times to get rid of the lingering stiffness, before shifting in the seat.

She swung her legs out and touched them down onto the floor. In the time that she had been asleep, her legs had gained even more muscle mass. It was not a lot, they were still far too skinny, but the fact that there was something actually separating her skin from her bones was enough to make her smile.

After attempting to wiggle her toes, which was still stiff but more than she was able to previously do, Valerie turned on a nearby lamp so that she was casting a shadow across the seat of her relaxing, gel chair rather than the floor.

With a deep breath, she reached towards the shadow and pressed her hand against it, before her hand sank into the darkness as it took on a wispy and seemingly alive form.

Her arm sank into the shadow, all the way up to the elbow, as she felt around inside of it. Gulping nervously, Belladonna closed her fingers around the object that she could feel, before pulling her arm out.

Inch by inch her pale skin pulled itself from the black wisps, until her hand appeared, followed closely by a glint of steel. From her shadow, wrapped in the grip of her slender fingers, Valerie slowly pulled out a spear that had part of its shaft broken off.