Castia's regent, the young sea elf commander Iverios, returned to the Great Moon Temple, exhausted.
After discussing military affairs with the ranger generals under his command, he had planned to rest for a while. As the young regent eased his fatigue with a bath, his wife, Hilarue, the current high priestess of the Moon Temple, strolled into the hot spring, whose waters could heal wounds.
She looked at the injuries on her husband's body with concern, then took a secret remedy from her arms that could heal wounds and soothe the mind, and applied it to him.
The Moon Sisters who guarded the Moon Temple stood watch all around, allowing no one to disturb the regent and high priestess during their private conversation. They also gave the young couple some precious time alone.
"Is the situation bad?"
Hilarue asked softly:
"Wasn't the great insect nest near the Rangers' headquarters already destroyed through a joint effort? Has a new threat appeared?"
"It's the Emerald Forest, my love."
Iver leaned back against the edge of the bath with his eyes closed. He moved his battle-sore arms to embrace his wife, then pulled her into the bath as she cried out in surprise. The two pressed close together, enjoying a quiet moment.
Iver, who had increasingly begun to exude a king's bearing, explained softly to Hilarue:
"Our rangers recently went there to eliminate the oak evil spirit, Kairan. That battle caused part of the Emerald Forest in the Antani region to spread out of control. This wouldn't normally be a bad thing; the forest's expansion could bring the people of Antani more abundant resources.
"But the arrival of the locusts was an unexpected disaster.
"Those hateful insects gnaw on trees and all other life to reproduce in their wicked way. That would be