A Story of Evil

"So they can also excrete a gas that has the same corroding effect."

"Pretty much. That'll make fighting them a bit more dangerous since, they seem to be fine even when inside it."

The two looked at the area where the gas was emitted. Every plant and tree on the area deteriorated significantly. With evident damages marked by the dark parts and the stiffened leaves.

"It's also similar to a burning effect but, it's not something I can absorb since it isn't even fire." Jade said, referring to his skill which could devour any type of flame.

"We've got ourselves in quite a pickle then. I mean, a forest isn't exactly the strong point of fire."

"Yeah. I can burn them but I may start a forest fire along the way."

"Can't you just devour your own flames?"

"Unfortunately it doesn't work like that. I can only consume flames made by outside sources. Otherwise I'd have unlimited mana."

"Yeah that's true."

For the first time during their mission, the two were at a loss on what to do. For one thing, Sol was also to blame for this. With five months of him leading in the domain expansion division, everyone relied too heavily on him and his commands.

After all, he was almost god like in this aspect. As if his words had a natural power to turn everything to his favor. 

Yet both Jade and Alice were far from incompetent. They did fall short on wit compared to a genius but, they were nevertheless excellent and well rounded fighters themselves. And proving this point, Alice was able to come up with a possible solution to their problem.

"But if you think about it, we don't need to kill all of them. We just need to get the stuff Sol asked from us."

"You mean the information on whether or not a monster is partly crystallized?" Jade confirmed, unable to follow what Alice's point was.

"Yeah. If one of those things absorbed that trait then, it wouldn't create a camouflage along with the rest of their skin since its made of a different material."

This was a fact. It doesn't take a genius to understand that monster parts are made specifically to suit the overall battling and defending capabilities of a creature. These things have mutated along with them when mana has invaded the land, creating the best combination for the monsters to cope with the change in the environment.

Hence, something like an added part which was not naturally part of this mutation would not fit to the whole scheme. For the chameleons they faced, this meant that the crystals would not have the same property as the skin of the creature. Rendering it vissible.

"So basically if we find their camp and, immediately see nothing out of the ordinary..."

"We can just retreat." Alice finished.

"That or we'll fight them until they get wiped out. It honestly depends on the situation." She added, actually wanting to go with the latter option she mentioned.

"That's actually well thought of." Jade commended.

"Thank you, I learned from the best." Alice said in reply, referring to the fact that she has been with Sol for a long time.

"We should get going then, we don't have all day." Jade said, offering his hand which Alice gladly accepted, pulling her up as they went on their way.

There was a specific method to what the two needed to accomplish. First, they hunted some of the black hares. The same rabbit which one of the chameleon ate right in front of them. This was relatively easier to spot. With an abundance of these actually located on an area a bit further from where Jade and Alice found it.

Catching the creatures however, was a different story altogether. The hares were fast and, if not caught off guard, they could sprint even faster than the chameleons. But the two didn't give up easily. With mistake after mistake, they finally knew what they needed to avoid.

Thus after an hour's worth of failed attempts, they were finally able to kill ten of these. They didn't burn the creatures however as, they thought it may leave a different scent while also attracting other monsters. But they did catch ten more to give to their direwolves once they returned.

It was already noontime when they finished. Yet the two didn't feel much of the sun. The forest was cool and calming despite being a chaos area. Something which they were thankful for as, they would've been more exhausted if they were exposed directly to sunlight.

But it wasn't like they weren't exhausted because, they were terribly so. They didn't think that such an activity would be taxing for their stamina. And so the two decided to rest for a little bit. Just enough to make sure that their performance won't be jeopardized once they come for the chameleons.

Alice wanted to ask Jade about his conversation with Sol again. But then she thought that, whatever it was, they were probably keeping it a secret for a good reason. And Alice isn't a person who thought that she was so important that she needed to be updated on everything. That is why she focused on something else. Speaking right after taking a bite of her military crackers.

"Come to think of it, we've been on the same team for five months yet I'm still on the dark about a lot of things about you."

"Well aren't we the same on that aspect?" Jade commented.

"Yeah you're right. Why don't we do that now? You know, swap information." Alice said, speaking like a black market trader.

"I don't really mind." Jade said in reply, also taking a bite on his crackers as the two began speaking about their lives.

It didn't take long for things to heat up between the two. After all, they were both tortured most of their lives. With Jade being subject to the beatings and burnings of Prince Blaze. Meanwhile, Alice went through the hellish beatings of the thieves. Not only physically but also mentally as she needed to ensure that they would never dispose of her all of a sudden.

Suddenly it was a competition to see who suffered the most. 

"I got candle wax dripping on my tongue one time. Every time I twitched, he'd burn one of my fingers."

"Oh yeah? Well I had to survive on an empty stomach for a whole week. Then I was beaten up by the older thieves, saying that they saw me eat on one occasion even though I didn't."

"Blaze once asked me to dip my feet on his flames. I needed to walk through it, otherwise I was going through heavier punishment."

"Pshhh. I was made to drink three types of poisons for a whole month. If my immune system fell off even just a bit I would've died. In fact I had a fever which lasted for that duration, as well as hallucinations."

What both of them thought would be a weird conversation actually turned out okay. They both began laughing, thinking how stupid it was that they competed for the most tortured human.

"For a girl who looks as frail and noble as you, they really put you through a lot huh?"

"Yeah well looks is a bad thing in the league of thieves. You're supposed to seem tough but because of my appearance, I needed to constantly perform in order for the league to allow me to live."

"Must've been hard on you."

"Not as hard as having to serve a self centered prince."

"Hahaha. Yeah you're right about that."

The two finished their meal shortly after this conversation. Jade and Alice felt closer to each other after it. Thinking how much of a coincidence everything was. That they were placed into the same division. That they were both on the same mission once again. That they were paired for the hunting. And that, they both went through torturous childhoods. 

"We actually have a lot in common huh." Alice said.

"Yeah, who would've thought?" Jade said in reply.

"Well I still think I'm stronger than you when it comes to fighting." The female paladin taunted.

"You know I'm not a big fan of competitions Alice."

"Are you scared?"

"This is so petty." Jade said in a tone that meant he accepted it.

"Is that a yes or a no?"

"Fine, if those chameleons fight us I'm gonna stack up more bodies than you."

"I'll take that as a yes." Alice cheerfully replied as the two resumed on their task.