Despite not having the slightest clue as to where Minome forest is, only the tiny bit of information he received from Sapphira before he left his mountain, rather than gripe about missing such minor details, Tahmut reveled in the mystery, seeing it as an exciting precursor before the actual adventure.
--
Taking to the sky in his human form, flying over scenery old and new, Tahmut let his mind wander, his thoughts on his journey and the future beyond.
Although the idea of a city came to him on a whim, or more specifically, a want, over time, Tahmut began to take the prospect seriously.
It's hardly about the beef sticks anymore. With the power Tahmut has gained and will gain in the future, he knows he'll need support; strength will only get him so far in the world he'll inevitably enter.
Yes, he could acquire allies without establishing a city; he has no doubt about that. However, Tahmut also knows political clout is essential. You can't become a king without land to rule and people who follow.
Look at the prominent figures in the world today. Devil Kings, Gods, and Fallen, most of them have the strength to rend the earth asunder, yet their greatest strength lies in their territory. Tahmut knows for his goals to become possible, like them, this is a step he'll have to take; he knows that influence is a must.
--
Landing somewhere in the north for a little respite, Tahmut furled his wings and rolled his neck, getting audible cracks with each twist.
'Interesting. Is this because of Ophis?'
Due to his surge in power, Tahmut hasn't been able to access his human form until recently. Even though he was somewhat able to control the energy upon receiving it, enough not to die immediately, when Tahmut returned to his mountain, it was a different story altogether. He's felt pain before; training with Tanin for a decade will introduce you to all sorts very intimately; however, the pain he felt during that time was unlike any other he's ever encountered.
It took weeks, but eventually, Tahmut was able to control the energy he received to a satisfactory degree, allowing him to access his other forms and the plethora of new abilities the power of Ophis bestowed.
'I guess I'm still adjusting. That's expected, I think.' Tahmut thought, cracking his neck. 'Now, I believe I saw a village not too far from here. I should head there and inquire about Minome forest. Hopefully, I won't get awkward stares or frightened eyes like in the last village; barely anyone wanted to speak to me there.'
A few days before sighting the present village, Tahmut stumbled upon another not too far from it. Since he didn't exactly know where he was, just the direction he had to go in, Tahmut thought it best to ask the locals, reasoning they knew about the north since they lived there. Unfortunately, things didn't work out as he had planned.
Upon setting foot in the village, it was like Tahmut was the plague; everywhere he went, he was avoided by all. It didn't take long for him to realize he wasn't getting any information from this particular village, and within the day, he left, flying until he spotted his current destination.
Shaking his head at the remembrance of that day, Tahmut took his time walking to where he sensed some humans, hoping this time someone would give him information rather than blight his good mood.
--
Walking around the quaint village, still with no luck in finding directions, Tahmut sighed, wondering to himself if he was that scary.
'Is it because of my height and appearance? Should I change it when interacting with humans?'
Racking his brain, thinking about how he's going to get the information he needs, Tahmut suddenly stopped in his tracks, smelling an all-to-familiar smell. Following his nose, Tahmut soon arrived in front of a stand that brought a smile to his face and caused his mouth to water.
"Hey, old man, could I get four of those?"
"Sure thing! Four beef sticks coming right- up." The old man replied, hesitating a bit, recognizing the 'traveler' the whole village had been whispering about recently.
He really is big!' The old man gawked, preparing the traveler's order with some apprehension.
Thankful the old man wasn't like the other locals he encountered, Tahmut decided to press his luck and ask the questions he's been attempting to ask this entire time.
"Old man, have you heard of Minome forest?" He asked, hoping for the best.
"Minome forest?" The old man parroted. "Ah yes, I have been there a couple of times myself. What about it?" He asked, his back turned to Tahmut, skewering some meat and grilling it.
"Great! Could you give me directions? I would've found it by now, but I don't know what I'm looking for." Tahmut replied, scratching his cheek.
And it's no lie. Being graced with the ability to fly provides Tahmut with many advantages, one being able to see things from an aerial perspective. However, when you don't know what you're looking for, the ability to fly is for naught.
"I see no problem, traveler. Now, there are several ways you could get to Minome, but I'll give you the shortest route; you seem capable enough for its perils." The man replied, chuckling, eyeing Tahmut up and down before nodding.
"On the path that leads out of the village, once you reach its end, take a left and continue walking until you reach a fork. Once there, you'll have two choices; pick neither. Instead, walk between the two paths and enter the tree line. From there, all you have to do is continue going straight, and eventually, you will be at the entrance to Minome forest. The whole journey should take no more than two days." He explained, handing Tahmut his four beef sticks fresh off the grill.
"Thanks, old man. Appreciate the help." Tahmut said, sighing in relief, his search for information finally over.
'It's not bad.' Tahmut thought, devouring a whole beef stick and reaching for another.
"Don't worry about it, young man. Now get! You're scaring away my customers." The old man playfully chided, a smirk on his face.
Saying his goodbyes, Tahmut followed the old man's instructions to a tee, arriving in front of Minome forest, expediting the expected two-day journey to just two hours with the help of his wings.
"Finally!" Tahmut exclaimed, passing the threshold to Minome forest.
Spreading his senses around for any abnormalities, Tahmut cursed his stupidity. So caught up in trying to acquire directions to Minome, he completely forgot to ask the kind old man about Agratha.
"Tsk. Great, just when I thought it was over." Tahmut dryly laughed, pushing through some branches.
He searched for hours and yet found nothing; he was beginning to understand why Agartha was still just a rumor.
"Maybe Merget was right." Tahmut sighed, remembering how she felt about his trip.
As if sensing his mood, nature began to stir.
The winds began to whip, and rain started to pour, forcing Tahmut to find cover, taking shelter under a rock overhang.
"From bad to worse."
Going further into the overhang, Tahmut sat on a boulder, deciding to close his eyes in wait for the rain to stop. As he was getting comfortable, he picked up on a presence in his area, one steadily approaching his position.
"Hmm."
It didn't take long. Eventually, Tahmut heard footsteps followed by heavy breathing coming from the front of the overhang.
"Haaa~ Where did this rain come from? One minute, nothing. Next thing, woosh. I was this close to finding the entrance. I could feel it! Aggh!"
'Is he talking about Agartha?'
"To think we were walking over the clues this entire time.
'He has to be.'
"Hey you." Tahmut called out, opening his eyes, gaining the stranger's attention.
"Hmm? Oh, I didn't see you there. May I help you? The newcomer responded, slightly startled by Tahmut's sudden appearance.
"I heard you talking earlier about clues and finding an entrance. Are you talking about Agartha by any chance?" Tahmut asked, hopeful.
Narrowing his eyes, the man hesitated before speaking:
"Agartha? Never heard of it." He replied, turning his back to Tahmut, impatiently watching the rain fall.
"You see, I'm not having the best of times at the moment. I came to this forest to find something but, unfortunately, have yet to do so. You seem to know something about what I'm looking for. Now, all I want is information. All you have to do is give it to me. Would you?" Tahmut asked, standing from the boulder he was sitting on, his head tilted to the side with a smile.