Page 1/3 Ruler of the Nesting Grounds (1) Written by Flynn Lexton Laslan used to be a farming region that was known for its abundance. However, after the Arkeum Legion attacked a few years ago, returning it to its former glory turned out to be a great undertaking, with a few areas still needing additional work. This is unfortunate for anyone who recalls the beautiful amber waves of the Golden Rye Pastures from their youth. There is only one place that has retained its beauty despite all that happened. Sadly, any native of Laslan refuses to step foot into that place. It's the Nesting Grounds. "It's really unfortunate. That's why we've come up with a new idea." A cute and kind young man said this to me as I gazed at the Nesting Grounds from the edge of the Starlight Observatory Ruins. The young man's name was Barney Watson, the youngest son of the family that runs the Watson Merchants. They used to do business while traveling back and forth between Laslan and Stonegard. They capitalized on the fact that natives never step foot into the area and built a trading monopoly of sorts over the region. "Not a lot of people know about how profitable the green flowers and seeds from that region can be. That's part of why our merchant group is so competitive. What do you think?" I chuckled and told him that's probably not true, but he probably wouldn't understand at such a young age. There are countless scary stories about the Nesting Grounds in Laslan. All the residents tell these stories to visitors, as if to warn children. The more rumors you hear, the scarier it starts to sound. All the rumors are about a particular type of bird that rules over the Nesting Grounds. Page 2/3 Ruler of the Nesting Grounds (2) This bird is as big as a horse, and as such it can run but not fly. From afar, it appears extravagant and beautiful with its large eyes and fluffy red and yellow feathers. Observing these plumed behemoths roaming the Nesting Grounds amidst a sea of flowers is truly a sight to behold. However, never forget that these creatures have been branded Terror Birds for a reason. Just how terrifying are they, you ask? Well, there's far more to them than their inimitable beauty. So, what in the world are these birds? Terror Birds have a large beak whose hardness is comparable to metal. It's layered like a pile of scales, and they use it as a weapon. In addition to pecking their enemy to death in a fight, they can also charge at you like a horse with their massive bodies and simply headbutt you. Anyone in Laslan who has any sort of travel experience will have seen passenger carriages that were completely destroyed by Terror Birds. If they can destroy a large carriage, just imagine what they can do to a human being! If a Terror Bird crashes into you and you get crushed by its legs, it will break every bone in your body and you'll be begging to be eaten by a wolf. Terrifying, isn't it? Page 3/3 Ruler of the Nesting Grounds (3) For this reason, the Nesting Grounds are primarily occupied by Terror Birds. Only small moles called Quillixes have managed to sustain cohabitation with them. Because they usually live underground, they can avoid the Terror Birds. The feces of the Terror Bird makes for great fertilizer, which is why the flowers and plants that grow in that region are so abundant, even without any human intervention. I can understand why the Watson family thought about exploiting that region for goods. Other maniacs go there for other things, such as Terror Bird Eggs or Terror Bird Meat. Only humans would dare to risk such danger for something so trivial. But perhaps it is this very courage to face such a dangerous creature that will turn Laslan into the last bastion of freedom. I asked the young man to tell me what was needed in order to do business at the Nesting Grounds. He told me some more stories, but I will save them for a later date.
