The woods were bright, too bright for Vail’s tastes. While many would be enamored by the beauty of Later Light, he was feeling rather uncomfortable. There was almost no shadow for him to retreat to if things went south. He felt exposed, almost naked in a place so dense yet with so few hiding spots.

“Never thought I’d miss the gloomy alleys of Darkveil.” He grumbled to himself as he scanned through the woods, looking for any unnatural movement.

It sounded like an easy job, just eliminate some rouge flower pickers of the insect variety. Sounded like a job better suited for a mage than a thief but judging by the posting he had found in the Eclipse City; they were desperate for anyone to do something.

Judging by the position of the sun through the canopy, it was about midday. Hopefully these pests weren’t nocturnal, he didn’t exactly plan on sitting admiring the view all day. As he got deeper into the forest, he noticed the lantern bulbs beginning to thin; at the very least he was headed in the right direction.

A smirk started to form across his face as shadow began to creep into the woods. His body relaxes somewhat as the environment gradually grows similar to the dark he was used to. Just as he began to relax, he noticed a glow that was different from the lantern bulbs. It was moving, but not in a natural way; clearly it wasn't the breeze. He approached cautiously, eager to see if this was his target or some other curiosity.

---

SPOILER: Click to show

Quest Name: Greedy Grubs
Chapter: One
Description: Turns out a new invasive species of insect has made the woods their home and are eating all of the lantern light bulbs, completely destroying the ecosystem. You are being asked to find one of the hives and remove or destroy it. This is easier said than done however, as the insects are large than most and deliver very painful bites and stings.
Requirements:
- Requires at least two people (you and one other)
- You must make at least 6 post to complete the mission with each post being at least 200 words
- The insect can be any kind but is hostile and dangerous and must be removed from the area.
- Once you complete this mission you have completed this quest chain and may turn in the mission.

Lantern Light Woods was an aptly named place, and having the time to visit from their day to day activities was a pleasant surprise. The nearby towns were accommodating and abuzz with activity, though many of it's locals had been concerned about the steady disappearance of the plants that gave the area it's attention grabbing name. Several job boards in the area had posted about the problem, so Socket tossed their expertise in the mix as well.

Brilliant natural lights were strung in star like patterns throughout the woods, giving it a mystical, ethereal atmosphere. As they walked further into the woods, the lights became more sporadic and the shadows cast by the missing lights became dangerously thick as one moved deeper into the heart of the forest. Socket strode along, a beacon of neon, electric blue light amongst the bioluminescent flowers. Whenever there was a flower missing low enough, Socket would stop to inspect the damage and take note of the pattern. Their ears swiveled about, tracking the various sounds that echoed through the lively forest of lights. 

Another missing bulb caught their attention, this one looking like the sight of some epic struggle between creatures for a prize. Approaching slowly, Socket began to inspect the scene as the quite sounds of someone sneaking up behind them reached their ears. They made no outward sign of recognition, continuing the investigation as they looked over the patterns of wound to the glowing plants. Some sort of insect was sheering the bulbs off, probably to get at the nutrients within easier. Whatever it was had landed in the path of an ant colony, and was now being carted off in neat parts to feed the hive. There were only a few bits left, so Socket couldn't quite make out what type of bug they'd be dealing with, but it looked to be on the larger side. 

Vail slowly approached the glowing figure, unafraid of any potential threat. The darkness around him served as a haven, one he could easily dash to if things went south.

The figure didn’t seem interested in him despite the dark circumstances. As he got closer his eyes widened as he realized the source of the glow. Electricity moved throughout the figure’s body, causing the glow, but it was unlike any electromancer he’d ever seen.

He thought it was some manner of automaton, however he’d never seen one complex. Its body was smooth, unlike the clunky bots he’d seen throughout his travels, and its overall design suggested that it wasn’t created for any conventional commercial use. It resembled a living being, the closest thing he could think of would be a Tabaxi. This facsimile was rather interesting; he wondered just how advanced this being was intellectually. It might be best to strike up a conversation, so he could figure what exactly he was dealing with it.

“I don’t suppose you’re some sort of rouge gardening bot that happens to be on the fritz.” He said in a sarcastic tone. Hopefully the automaton had some idea of what humor was.

He could see that the being was inspecting the lantern bulbs, likely looking for the cause of their disappearance as well. Perhaps it could be of some help, if its programming would allow for that.

“Anyway, I suppose you’re here for the same reason I am. If you have any form of self-determination that is.”

Turning about, Socket couldn't make out the figure asking the questions very well. The tone of their voice indicated they were familiar with Charon's typically simplistic constructs, much to their bemusement. Socket wouldn't mind help on this task, someone comfortable with darkened places could prove useful if the gloom was going to be worse. 

"If I had been, would I not be carrying a spade, shears? Something to cause this havoc? If I were to be the cause of this catastrophe, how would you then respond Ser?" Retorted the construct, curious as to the character of this new figure in the shadows. This was the first Socket had been questioned about their level of self determination, and pondered the idea itself for several moments before responding again.

"I am myself, as much as any other being could claim it to be so, and have taken up the task of sorting out the cause of all the flowers disappearing from this lovely place. Am I to presume you're also participating?" The construct replied, watching their surroundings for signs of the critters or damage to the plants in question. All manner of noises filled the woods, and Socket's 'ears' would pivot about while they focused in on a particular sound, then again when they'd stop. So far, the bits being carted off by the ant colony had been the only clue found so far and the automaton was eager for more.

Vail was quite amused by the automaton’s response. His assumptions were correct, this was definitely the most advanced machine he’d ever encountered. Unfortunately, it seemed no one bothered to teach it what sarcasm is. He’d have to watch his words, otherwise he’d risk this potential ally taking his quips too seriously.

“You are correct in your presumption. I’m here to get rid of whatever is making this environment more suited for someone like me. Seems like a simple enough job, I don’t know why they seem to be having such a hard time with a little pest removal.”

Vail watches as the construct’s ears pivot in a way only a machine could. It was as if they had intelligence of their own, independent of the body's current focus. It made him feel slightly uncomfortable, although he took care not to show it. The thought of his body moving on its own while he was still conscious terrified him. At least he had the courtesy of blacking out before losing control with his current condition.

He slowly steps out of the darkness to join the construct in examining the bulbs.

“It definitely looks like we are dealing with a colony of some sort. We might be able to track them back to their nest.”

He took a quick glance at the construct’s smooth face as he crouched to examine the insects’ tracks. Whoever designed this being was extremely skilled, now he was even more curious.

A small smirk formed across his face as he turned to face his steely companion.

“The name’s Vail by the way. Now, why don’t you tell me a bit about yourself? If we’re going to be working together, it’s best that we both understand what the other is capable of. Who knows, if this goes well I might even teach you what sarcasm is.”

"My name is Kosoku, though most call me Socket. I'm unsure about this being a colony type insect, but nothing particular points to that possibility being ruled out either... It would be very difficult to be rid of this pest if it were an organized colony, like bees or ants." Socket stated after a moment's consideration. There were several possible theories as to the cause of these creatures, from simple chance to the unsightly interference of an individual or group intent on doing harm to the natural splendor of the woods.

"Currently, the main concern I've come across is the possible implication that a person or group has unleashed this nightmare scenario on the woods purposefully." The construct shared, concerned that the timing of it's sudden appearance and the voracity of feasting were somehow manufactured. Magic was a tricky and imprecise study, only truly limited by the patience, ingenuity and tenacity of a given caster. Waving Vail over, the automaton shared their notes and observations thus far. 

"This is what I've gathered so far, though going much deeper into the woods as night falls is not something I'd like to do... if it is needed to keep this catastrophe from spreading, it would be better to not be going alone. First we need to figure out what these bugs are, then we need to hunt down the nest and either eradicate it or return it to it's rightful place if it was indeed brought here under malicious intent."

"Well it’s nice to meet you Socket.” Vail responded with a smirk.

This simple job was getting more and more interesting. He’d never expected a machine of all things to imagine such a malicious scenario, but he didn’t doubt the possibility. Socket was clearly no stranger to the depravity of organic beings. Vail seen the depths of mortals plenty of times before in Darkveil. Someone very well could be doing this for no personal gain. These woods were a point of pride to the citizens of Moonglade, destroying them would no doubt harm their morale.


“We have several options. First off, we could head deeper into the darkness; I have no issue sight-wise unless it’s some form of magical darkness^[1], not sure if you’re equipped with night vision however. Secondly, we could take one of these bulbs off ourselves, toss it into the darkest part of the woods, and see what takes the bait. For our final option, if you truly believe there is some malicious being behind this deforestation, we can wait here where the light begins. Whoever is doing this is likely to come here so they can observe the destruction firsthand. So Socket, what do you think is the most logical course of action?”

He was about to wait for the construct's answer when he suddenly remembered an important detail for this agreement.

“Oh, and if you are dead set on preserving the insects’ nest, you can carry it. I’m not sure if you can feel pain but the sensation of insect bites and slash are not too pleasant for organic beings.”

---

[1] Shadow Sight

Pondering Vails words, the construct considered each one in turn. Unable to see well in the dark themselves, going deeper into the gloom didn't seem too wise, as only one person would be able to navigate the forest. Setting a trap seemed to be the most consistent method of at least gaining information, though Socket was in no rush to contribute to the dwindling natural beauty of the forest. The final method meant they'd be static for a while, and some other parts of the vast woods could be targeted... though each idea combined had an unusual outcome.

"Counterproposal: Since I don't see well in the dark, and you're able to... why don't we do a bit of combining of your ideas? I'll act as bait while you explore the gloom that I cannot see without daylight, and if my light begins to dim for any reason, you will be in a prime position to ambush who or what is causing this destruction. This way, we each contribute according to our strengths, and this task will be solved... hopefully by tomorrow at the latest." The automaton turned to Vail, wondering what they'd think of the combined idea from those they'd presented.

One of few traits the construct kept when traveling to Charon was their resourceful adaptability, and proved to be incredibly useful on nearly every adventure, hunt or task they'd taken on.

Vail laughed and began to clap his hands at the automaton’s response.

“What a wonderful plan, the woods ahead are dense enough that I can follow from the tree line. I do hope that you mean to dim your lights by your volition. It would be a shame if a being as advanced as you were to perish for some mere plants.”

This was certainly a surprise to him; this construct grew more and more interesting by the minute. Vail wondered what drove it to act so selfless. Did it have a deep connection to Moonglade? Was its creator local to the region? Or was it simply designed with a prerogative to protect organic beings no matter the cost? Whatever the case, when this was all over, he’d have to learn as much about Socket as he could.

Strangely enough, he found some similarities between the automaton and himself. Both of them were influenced by another’s will. For Socket, they were no doubt created with the ideals of their creator. Vail wondered whether or not those ideals had changed since their day of creation. On the other hand, he was facing the opposite. Whatever restored his life was slowly changing his mind, twisting his memories and feelings. It might do some good to compare and contrast their situations.

Vail quickly ascended a nearby tree^[1], vanishing into the darkness once more^[2].

“Lead the way, I’ll be right behind you.” he said softly from the darkness.

---

[1]Surface Scaling
[2]One with the Shadows

Nodding to Vail, Socket proceeded along the trail where the lantern lights had been thinned out. The dim glow cast overlapping shadows from the multidirectional light. Concentrating a moment, the construct began to glow faintly, a bright, neon blue flooding the area and pushing back against the growing darkness in a small area. Sparks danced over their plating, hopping between the glowing seams with a buzzing, crackling sound.

Every so often, Socket would stand still in a given spot, waiting several moments before progressing again as they tried their best to bait out the offending creatures. It took quite some time and a few loops around the section of forest the pair were in, but eventually the insects made their move. A soft sizzling sound could be heard as one of the strange insects flew onto the automaton's back and was summarily zapped by the current. It hit the leaves with a dull thud, steaming from it's joints and slightly charred where it had made contact. 

In a matter of moments, several more of the large, beetle like insects were buzzing through the trees. Drawn like moths to flame, Socket dimmed the light, reducing the current at the same time. Several bugs left for brighter and bolder targets, but a few were stubborn and wouldn't be dissuaded so easily. They flashed a bright light for a second, then let it dim once more to signal Vail and waited patiently.

Vail jumped from tree to tree as the automaton slowly made its way deeper into the woods. Eventually he noticed that the construct was looping and decided to perch himself in a tree that offered an ample viewpoint. He watched in amazement as the sparks grew on his companion, traveling across Socket’s body like blood flowing from an accelerated heart.

Eventually a soft flapping sound joined the crackles of electricity. A single beetle-like insect broke from the tree line and rushed towards the construct's back, only to end meet its end to the glow it so desperately craved.
Within seconds more insects swarmed from behind the construct, quickly rushing to the intense light source. Socket’s lights flashed and then dimmed, signaling him to approach.

Not yet Socket...

Something wasn’t right about this. The way the insects moved seemed unnatural, it was almost as if the first insect was a scout for the swarm rather than acting on its own instincts. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, searching for a noise separate from the bugs. As the insects swarmed across the automaton’s carapace, a low crunch slowly began to grow through the noise. Vail’s eyes shot open as a dark figure slowly approached the glowing construct.

“Well, what do we have here?” A low voice broke through the buzzing and crackles.

Stepping into the light, the figure was revealed to be a sun elf, clad in dark robes with a sinister smile adorning his face.

“Whatever you are, you made a big mistake venturing this deep into the woods.”

Vail reached above his head, grabbing onto one of the larger branches above him. Timing his grasp with Socket’s glow, he broke the branch off right as a spark crackled from the automaton, successfully masking the sound. He stood up from his perch, readying himself to launch the branch^[1] through the elf. He would wait until Socket was in actual danger before he struck. This sun elf may well be part of a grander conspiracy. Better to let him speak his mind when he thinks he is in a position of power.

---

[1] Improvised Weapons

Sizzling, beetles were stunned in droves as the automaton weathered the swarm. The tiny bugs moved in an unusual fashion, as if they'd been directed by an outside force. Carefully, Socket cast Lightning Lure, five electric pillars sprouted from below and covered the immediate area surrounding them. The swarm thinned, and eventually lay stunned on the ground at the automaton's feet. 

Leaning over, they picked one of the creatures up and began to examine it. More beetles were lured in by the bright, flickering glow emitting from the construct and the electrical arcs flashing their energy into any bugs that stray too close. The bugs didn't seem terribly extraordinary, adapted for a life of eating plant materials, a tough exoskeleton and a pair of large wings beneath armored plates. The markings were an interesting pattern, one suited to the Lantern Light Woods with natural bright and dark speckling to capitalize on the light from the bulbs... Why then, if they'd been adapted to the lights being on and glowing regularly, were they eating and destroying that source?

As the automaton pondered this, an overly developed beetle rushed them. Ducking it's initial pass, Socket sensed it had malignant intent. It crashed through the stunning field, arcs of electricity unable to sway it's path or disable it. Bracing, the larger beetle had unusual markings that the automaton tried to study during the harrying passes. Some sort of code, or symbols had been etched into it's carapace and given it this unnatural state. Someone had tampered with these creatures, and in doing so, had disrupted the natural beauty of this ecosystem and the good nature of these insects.

As the bugs swarmed over the automaton, the sun elf slowly lifted his right arm and opened his palm forward. An extra-large beetle flew in from the tree line and broke through the construct’s stunning field. Seeing the automaton bracing against the oversized insect, Vail knew it was time to act. He flung the broken branch as hard as he could towards the sun elf. He was unsure as to how exactly the insects were being controlled, but at the very least this should pull the sun elf's attention away from Socket. The branch struck true, impaling itself in the elf’s right arm just below the elbow.

A loud shriek was all the confirmation Vail needed to know that his plan had worked. He jumped from his perch, landing into a roll before breaking into a sprint. Clutching his right arm hand into a fist, he dashed^[1] towards his adversary, delivering a sucker punch to the formerly smug face. He grabbed the sun elf by his wrists, restraining him from grabbing any weapons he might have hidden within his robes.

“Alright scum, show’s over. You’re coming with us; you’ve got some explaining to do to the good people of Eclipse City.” Vail told his stunned opponent.

Just as he was about to start dragging the elf away, a rapidly growing noise hit his ears. He released his grip and pivoted on his feet, turning just in time to catch the enormous mandibles of the beetle that was previously attacking Socket^[2]. He barely kept his footing as the large insect's wings forced his heels to dig into the ground. The sun elf quickly scrambled to his feet and turned to run while Vail was occupied.

“Socket! After the bastard! Track his bleeding or the sound of his footsteps, something! We need him alive. I’ll handle this pest!” Vail yelled to the automaton as he held back mandibles that could easily sever his arm.

---

[1] Dashing - Unarmed Enchantment
[2] Steel Catch

The moment the massive bug changed targets, Socket was already in motion towards the figure. At Vail's word, the construct activated Bullet Dash, sending a shower of sparks and the clap of thunder across the path. Socket slammed into the Sun Elf, rolling with the impact and coming to their feet with the momentum. Stunned, the man lay still trying to speak, as the automaton used the man's own clothing to bind his hands and feet together. Most of the swarm had been stunned in the rush, but the large beetle still engaged Vail.

Activating Art of the Whirling Wave, A watery staff formed in Socket's hands. They raced over to Vail and knocked the beetle aside with a swift strike to the beetle's hard, spiky shell. "We should try to catch this one, make this man undo whatever spell is driving it mad... then hand him over to the guards." Socket said calmly, watching the big insect's movements. It landed on a tree, looking dazed for a moment. The automaton circled the tree silently, motioning for Vail to move the out of the pathway.

If the construct could get on the other side of the tree, the secondary effect of Lightning Lure would be able to stun the massive insect and give them time to restrain it.

Vail barely had a chance to blink as Socket dashed to the sun elf. The construct clearly had a lot of power in that thin frame, effortlessly knocking down their adversary and binding them without any resistance.

Much to his surprise, the automaton summoned a staff of water before rushing over to aid. He loosened his grip slightly^[1] so as to not hurt the beast as Socket swung, keeping in mind their intentions to not harm the creatures if they were being controlled.

Socket’s plan was sound, albeit not something particularly in his skill set.

“I'll leave catching the bugger to you, my flesh has already been a bit too close to those jaws for comfort. In the meantime, I’m going to convince our friend here to tell us what exactly he’s doing here.” Vail said as he moved out of the construct's path.

He collected himself as walked over the bound man. It had been a long time since he interrogated anyone. He wasn’t a religious man, those ideals never saved anyone from suffering in his world, but he prayed this man didn’t make him take this too far. Blacking out here would likely result in this criminal’s death, and he had no idea how his other side would react to Socket.

He squatted down next to the sun elf and delivered a slap to the stunned man’s face.

“Okay buddy, we’re going to have a little chat. Why don’t you start with who you are working for?”

“I’m working alone.” The sun elf replied with fearful eyes.

Bullshit… this was too wide scale for a personal vendetta.

Vail grabbed the sun elf’s bound fingers and squeezed, eliciting a scream from the criminal. His grip loosened as he felt the numbness of his right arm start to spread further through his body.

“You want this to get worse? You don’t need toes or fingers to talk.”

“Okay, okay, I’m with the lunar rebels.” The sun elf replied in a panic.

“What’s a sun elf doing working for the lunar rebels?”

“I was expelled from the arcane academy by order of the royal family. We’ll crush them together. Once they see the damage done to the woods and hear it was done by a sun elf, the citizens of Eclipse City will be rallying for payback.” The elf replied, his rage palpable in his expression.

“And what do you think will happen to you?”

“What do you mean? My comrades will rescue me from my imprisonment of course!” the sun elf replied, slightly confused by the question.

Vail scoffed at the criminal, it’s amazing how much vengeance can blind people.

“Idiot, you’re a rogue sun elf with no ties to Moonglade. You really think they would risk associating with you? You’re here to take the fall. Once the deed is done, they will abandon you to rot like the scapegoat you are.”

The sun elf laid there, almost as stunned as when the socket’s electricity coursed through them.

“Now then, how about you undo your hold over these insects and confess your sins? Perhaps you my yet see the light of day if you hand over information that leads to the rebels”

“O-Okay…” the criminal replied meekly.

Vail turned back to face Socket.

“I’ve got him to properly surrender, so anytime you’re ready with the oversized pest.”

---

[1]Iron Grip