Deep Forest
Using Fresh Tree Bark pulled from the Old Kao Tree, covering them in Fresh Kao Sap, and then wrapping them in Green Kao Leaves, Femus was able to create...something. The sticky wads of greenery would harden if he let them air dry, turning the sap into a sort of resin, but other than that...what had he really created here? He didn't receive any type of notice from the System. Still, maybe that didn't mean whatever these things were was useless. Maybe he wasn't finished crafting yet. As he slowly made his way up the tree, carefully conserving his Mana, he watched Nira and the other Pixie.
As the two made more flower crowns, Nira soon began feigning a need for naptime. The other pixie noticed this and began fluttering around the girl, before pantomiming eating food and looking at Nira expectantly. It seemed to think that maybe if she ate something she wouldn't feel tired anymore--hovering closer, it tugged at her arm for a moment.
But just then, yet another problem revealed itself. A third pixie flying by took notice of what was going on. Swooping in with a laugh, it grabbed the half-finished flower crown dangling from Nira's hand and yanked it away. Nira's "friend" gave a screech of displeasure, but the newcomer only laughed and zipped upwards--inadvertently heading towards Femus.
The pixie turned to Nira, shaking its fists and growling, and pointed after the thief. Waving for Nira to come on, the angry fairy launched into pursuit...
Monster Party
You used Material Analysis II! You used Mana Sense I! You used Magic Analysis III! You used Monster Analysis II!
---Deceased Giant Rat---
Giant Rats are rodents of such unusually large size, many people don't believe they exist. Their behaviors are virtually the same as the Dire Rat, but they often shed many of the usual "prey" behaviors of vermin due to their much greater size and strength rendering them difficult for predators to bring down. As a result they can often be quite calm, and some humans even keep them as pets. When hunting, however, they are extremely vicious. They have lost their fear as a smaller creature, and are now far less likely to retreat. They lack magical power and usually don't develop any magical abilities unless their environment is very rich in ambient energies. This particular target has no Spell Skills. It was developing Magic Resistance before its death. It was killed by a combination of blood loss, trauma-induced shock, and poison. Its fur has been badly burned in places, significantly reducing its value as a Material. Its bones, fangs, and claws are larger and stronger compared to the Dire Rat and thus make much hardier Materials. Its meat is edible, but very tough, gamey, and smelly unless prepared by a skillful cook. Extracted bile from its liver, kidneys, bladder, or stomach could make powerful poisons, due to the typical rodent's diet composition. Garbage, scavenged kills, bacteria, and all manner of things have festered inside this creature for who knows how long. The Mana you sense from this creature is quickly fading. It has a heavy presence, but otherwise nothing about it stands out.
---Giant Rat Bone Plates x3 (Average Quality)---
These three plates of bone once formed the: Sternum. Right Shoulder Blade. Left Shoulder Blade.
Though they are larger and thicker than the corresponding bones of a Dire Rat, their density has not increased quite as much. Compared to the bones of many other beast types, these are not so tough, but their size makes them easier to work with. Bone does not typically hold an edge very well, but the increased surface area of these plates would give much more material to work down to a sharper blade. They might also make worthwhile plates of armor.
---Giant Rat Bone x1 (Average Quality)---
This long bone once formed the: Forearm. The two back legs were severed, rendering them too fragile to be of use. The other forelimb splintered too much during the process of removal.
Though they are larger and thicker than the corresponding bones of a Dire Rat, their density has not increased quite as much. Compared to the bones of many other beast types, these are not so tough, but their size makes them easier to work with. Bone does not typically hold a point very well, but the length of this piece gives more material to work down to a sharp needle. It might also make a good club, though it is brittle. Because bone splinters easily, however, it is easily fashioned into needles or carved into hooks.
---Giant Rat Spine x1 (Average Quality)---
Though they are larger and thicker than the corresponding bones of a Dire Rat, their density has not increased quite as much. Compared to the bones of many other beast types, these are not so tough, but their size makes them easier to work with. Coming from a vermin, this spine has a great deal of flexibility, and in some ways acts more like a coil of rope than a bone. The individual vertebrae are smaller and not too strong, so it is difficult to carve or change their shape.
---Giant Rat Hide x2 (Poor Quality)---
Two large sections of hide. The third portion of the Pelt was too Burned to be of use.
Quite smelly, but the Giant Rat's thick fur makes these hides well insulated against the elements. If properly cured, low-quality leather could be made. Stripping the fur from the hide, however, would reduce it to clumps of short, bristly fibers too brittle to weave and too short to use as anything more than weak strings.
---Giant Rat Fang x1 (Average Quality)---
One of four larger canine teeth. The other three were too Broken to be of use.
Though they are larger and thicker than the corresponding bones of a Dire Rat, their density has not increased quite as much. Compared to the bones of many other beast types, these are not so tough, but their size makes them easier to work with. Much like even a mundane rodent species, the Giant Rat's fangs do not stop growing. Constant gnawing keeps them worn down, but also incredibly sharp. This fang would need no processing to act as the tip for some form of tool.
---Analysis Complete!---
Obtained Other Loot:
Edible Giant Rat Meat, x26 pounds - Other Meats and Internals rendered unsafe due to Poison.
1 Smooth Stone - A stone that is smooth and shiny. Found in a pouch inside the Rat's cheek, likely collected for nesting material.
EXP: 80%
As Ash began cutting into the Giant Rat's corpse with her claws, splitting its hide and exposing its guts, it seemed like this specimen might not be quite so useful as the Rubber Frog. Their battle had done quite the number on this creature. Digbie's kick and Oberon's Mana Slices had rendered its skull and back legs too damaged to be of any real use, save a few pieces here and there. Torrent and Ash's combined poisons and flames had damaged the outsides and corroded some of the insides, and while the two reptiles might have some resistance to their own venoms it probably wouldn't be safe for Oberon or Digbie to consume any of the tainted meat.
Pulling up her Experience tab, however, showed a shocking and enormous result. She had just leveled, and at that time had already been 20% closer to the next level. Since then, all she had done was distribute her Skill Points and fight the Giant Rat. And now she was more than three-quarters of the way to the next level. The Giant Rat was certainly a stronger enemy than most of those they had faced in the cave, but like the Giant Slime it hadn't been a match for a party of four significantly stronger than average creatures. Immediately before it attacked, however, using her points had caused at least 4 of her skills to rank up. Learning skills had already proven to contribute to leveling up, but what other conclusions could Ash draw from this rapid growth?
While Ash dissected their kill and Oberon questioned her about the nature of her new Poison Spell, Digbie enthusiastically began to show off all the things he had found. He also tried to show off the new skill he had been trying to develop--the key word being "tried." While trying to Dual Cast, it was difficult to focus on the two spells at once. The Mana Orb he attempted to cast in one hand kept flickering in and out like a lightbulb about to blow. With the other hand, his attempt at Soil Manipulation couldn't actually "manipulate" the soil--it just lifted it in clumps that rapidly fell apart. Still, at this point it seemed like a matter of practice.
Torrent used her newly acquired Aqua Stream spell to control the accidental forest fire, and luckily while it had quickly caught the underbrush, the flames weren't intense enough to reach up the sides of the trees. Soon, the clearing had a small expansion of soggy, blackened and charred dirt. If anything, maybe burning back some of the lower shrubs would help the trees. Though, had it been Torrent's imagination as she prayed? Or had those last dying flames cast a larger, dancing shadow among the looming woods?
The Lesserwurm thought to try one more experiment. Working off of instinct and feeling alone--which, granted, had served her very well--she tried to draw the power of darkness into her body. She imagined it forming as a sphere within her jaws, just like the Fireball...
With a sensation that could only be described as "a sneeze in reverse," the tunnelling reptile felt her breath catch. She choked and sputtered for just a moment--again, no longer than a sneeze. Her Mana, too, felt like it had tried to imitate a buzzer on a game-show. After a moment, everything stabilized. Torrent was left to shake her head and figure out what had just happened, as the sun drifted below the horizon.
While the group had the capability to light a fire, perhaps to cook their freshly acquired ingredients or just to give them light to work by, the darkness that now settled around them was a trigger to their tired bodies. The need for sleep began to nag at each one in turn, and the small opening of their shelter beckoned. Presumably, each would seek out rest in their own time...
***
Whenever they decided to go to sleep, it didn't take long to drift off. The party of little monsters, not quite so little anymore, had certainly had a long day full of excitement, inconvenience, adventure, terror, and many other things.
But for some of them, even sleep was not peaceful.
***
Digbie stood behind a horde of creatures. All of their figures were cast in shadow, black as ink. Only the gray light of their eyes, narrow under slanting brows and smoldering with anger, illuminated this empty void. Directly ahead of him, and to either side, were Goblins. They were small and scrawny...but like baby snakes, their venom flowed without restraint. Their hatred for everything that was not themselves was palpable. Digbie stood behind them. They left him, marching forward...
Up ahead, at the end of the Goblins' march, were other creatures. Digbie saw a broad back that, with a shiver, reminded him of Rattleskull. Other figures still looked like Goblins, but were taller, and their fury had become more refined. Some, despite their greater height, were hunched and even skinnier. Their fingers ended in long claws that grasped at the earth as they shuffled along like monkeys on all fours. Some had a hint of color to their inky bodies, red or blue.
And further, beyond them, were creatures the size of humans. Some were built lean, some thick, but all had considerable muscle. They wore armor and held vicious looking weapons. The light in their eyes was brighter. Some even bore horns, or spikes, or had a glowing aura that writhed across their bodies.
On and on the hordes went, growing more vast in their differences. Some were enormous, others were smaller. Some were rough, others so delicate as to seem weak. Some flew through the air, others tunneled beneath the earth. Some were fiery, and others ice-cold.
But behind Digbie, the shadows disappeared. There was light. It was warm, and welcoming...and so bright that it blinded Digbie. So bright that it was painful. And while it was warm, here at its edge, the heat grew more and more intense towards the center of this golden white blaze. If he got too close, would it burn him? Would it kill him?
Digbie could not know. Because while the shadows in front of him stretched on endlessly, taking so many different forms, in the light behind him there was nothing. Only him. If he chose to turn away, and walk on into it...
Yet the longer he stood, the further he could see into the light. And, though it was narrow--a single beam among the myriad rays from this radiant sun--he could see what might, just maybe, be a path. And at the end of that path...something small, and scrawny, but standing as tall as it could stretch...
A hand touched Digbie's shoulder. It was one of the silhouettes, another Goblin. Though faceless, it looked at Digbie...expectantly. Though its eyes glowed, their hate was not directed at him. The other Goblin gestured, and pointed towards the marching herds of creatures. It wasn't saying "come on!" or "hurry up!" Instead, it looked out over all of these various creatures, each making their own way into an unknown world...***
Oberon did not dream, but more than once that night he awakened to a strange feeling. It felt as if something, perhaps some
one, was inside the shelter with them. But no matter where he looked, he could see nothing against the hazy moonlit entrance of their tiny cave. Nor could he make out anything unusual in the shadows of his sleeping friends. Their breaths were slow and steady. Eventually, each time, Oberon would drift off once more...
***
In the Old World, shadows were...nothing. They had no mass, no true form. Shadow, darkness, was simply the absence of light. Despite all the superstition, a shadow was merely the displacement of light brought about by a body betwixt the light source and the surface upon which the shadow lay.
But in this world, in Torrent's dreams, the shadows danced. Standing next to her own sleeping form, she saw the moonlight drifting in from outside the cavern. And she saw how the shadows shrank away from it, as they circled the walls of the shelter until they had drawn up, up above her head. Looking up at them was like looking down into a dark, dark hole.
"What is the Shadow? Why pray to a Shadow goddess? Why seek its hidden gaze?"***
The next day dawned in a dim fog, rolling through the forest to shroud the roots of the trees in damp gray. The birdsong was muted and sparse--in this season, it did not seem right for the breeze to chill and the mists to reach out with clammy, swirling fingers. If one looked up, over the treetops, they could even see the fogbanks literally rolling down the side of the mountain up above. Perhaps the avalanche had displaced enough snow down to the warmer climes that, as it melted, it caused this wave of unexpected moisture?
In the distance, to the north, a horn bleated just once. The sound was long and loud...and not terribly far away...
PixieSlime Party
You used Monster Analysis I!
---Bugbear---
Bugbears are an evolved form of the Goblin. Less suited to the natural cleverness or deftness of their smaller cousins, they more than make up for this with their toughness and strength. Their thick fur allows them to withstand the elements of many environments.
---Young Male Human---
Humans are not technically considered Monsters. They are of the Enlightened Races. Nonetheless they are an advanced race with civilization, history, and culture. WARNING: DANGEROUS!
---Adult Male Human---
Humans are not technically considered Monsters. They are of the Enlightened Races, considered truly sentient. Nonetheless they are an advanced race with a fully functioning civilization, a varied history, and distinct cultures. WARNING: VERY DANGEROUS!
---Analysis Complete!---
You used Monster Analysis I!
---Bugbear---
Bugbears are an evolved form of the Goblin. Less suited to the natural cleverness or deftness of their smaller cousins, they more than make up for this with their toughness and strength. Their thick fur allows them to withstand the elements of many environments.
---Young Male Human---
Humans are not technically considered Monsters. They are of the Enlightened Races. Nonetheless they are an advanced race with civilization, history, and culture. WARNING: DANGEROUS!
---Adult Male Human---
Humans are not technically considered Monsters. They are of the Enlightened Races, considered truly sentient. Nonetheless they are an advanced race with a fully functioning civilization, a varied history, and distinct cultures. WARNING: VERY DANGEROUS!
---Momma Slime---
You know this Adult Slime as "Momma Slime." You are very familiar with this monster. Slimes are amorphous creatures more similar to undeveloped egg yolks, yet they are able to move on their own and digest prey. Their bodies are highly resistant to physical damage and malleable. Momma Slime seems stronger than average. This monster seems to be a deviation from the norm...
---Steve---
You know this Tamed Oculus Spider as "Steve." You are very familiar with this monster. A low-ranking Arachnid-class Insect-type Monster. While it possesses venom, it is not that much more potent than a normal spider and thus it is virtually harmless to humans save in very large doses or in the case of specific allergies. However, because it has adapted to Mana in its environment and thus become a Monster, it has gained a large eye that works differently than its normal eyes. It will swing from a web in a hypnotic manner to entice prey.
---Asura---
You know this Amorphous Slime as "Asura." You are very familiar with this monster. Slimes that have a preference for shape-shifting sometimes develop a weaker membrane. Their defensive abilities stop increasing so quickly compared to other Slime species, but their shapeshifting and movement skills rise much more quickly. These slimes avoid water, as it has a much stronger diluting effect on them. Asura is a former Human like you.
---Analysis Complete!--
As Asura released the Bugbear's leg, the creature jerked its injured limb away from the slime. Ardur's attack hadn't dislocated the joint, but a dark bruise was already forming and as the Bugbear tried to put its weight on the leg it made a painful popping sound. The monster spared a glance towards the humans with panicked eyes, and continued to try and wrench free of Steve's webbing with its pointed stick...
"Ardur...could really use that heal now..." the slime growled as he moved back. The younger human immediately took notice, and stopped inching towards the group of monsters. Ardur turned and stopped in midflight, slowly descending with a blank look. In a dumbfounded voice, he only managed to say, "Humans?" Steve stayed behind Ardur, and well away from both the humans and the Bugbear. She crouched low to the ground to reduce her profile, and hissed lightly between her fangs. Momma Slime slowed down as she rolled back towards the Bugbear, and this distraction allowed the creature to swing its free hand at her before she made contact. The back of its big fist bounced off of her without doing much damage, but it had enough force to knock her to one side. She bounced to a stop at the edge of the clearing, away from both her party and the humans. She turned towards them with a low burbling noise, her membrane rippling as she shivered.
"Mother Slime, get back to the burrow." Asura began to change his shape, a human-like torso rising out of the puddle of goop. Ardur cast Minor Heal on him, though it didn't quite fully restore his HP. The armed child bristled as the magical sparkles appeared, and the knight standing behind him raised his visor slightly.
"M-master! There are more of them, like that Poltergeist!" The human boy's eyes shifted between the Bugbear and the Amorphous Slime, Hipixie, Slime, and Oculus Spider. Asura took up a neutral stance, holding up his "hands."
"It's yours if you want it. I've no desire to come against you lot." Asura stated. Ardur began talking and gesturing to Steve, and slowly both he and the Spider were backing away. The Hipixie grabbed their stuff, though he never took his eyes away from the two humans.
"Well then. Something is certainly afoot here." spoke the knight. His visor was fully up now, revealing a face that Asura and Ardur would see as an odd balance of Caucasian and Asian features that somehow still seemed unique to this world. His face was on the paler side of complexion, and his hair was light brown. He had stubble across his strong jaw, and was only just showing signs of age around his face. His eyes narrowed. "Stay where you are, monsters--or at least, those of you who understand me."
"Master, do you think they all came from the cave?" the boy piped up. "They might be related to the Dungeon--"
The knight suddenly gave his charge a pointed look, just as the Bugbear freed itself with a loud roar. It lunged at the young adventurer, stabbing at him with its pointed stick like an ice pick. The boy turned with a gasp as he realized the mistake in taking his attention away from an opponent. The knight didn't move in his ward's defense, but the youth got his shield up just in time. The wooden spike's tip wasn't properly sharpened, merely tapering and splintered where the Bugbear had broken it. It struck the rawhide covering the shield, and pushed against the padded wood beneath, but left only a small pinprick before its tip crunched and bent. Still, the muscle behind the Bugbear's arm forced the boy a step back. He planted himself--and placed the tip of his sword just over the rim of his shield.
"Skewer!"
That red flash was bright, even brighter than Asura's Smash, but it was all focused at the sword's point. Without dropping his defenses the squire stabbed forward, and the Bugbear only managed to avoid getting stabbed in the face by sacrificing its other arm. The blade bit deep into its raised forearm, piercing all the way through between the bones. Both combatants yanked away from each other, and though his weapon was now caked in blood and fat the boy managed to hold onto it and leave his enemy with a gaping wound.
"Youse be Rattleskull?!" The apprentice shouted, curling his lips into a snarl that looked unnatural on his face. His voice had thickened somewhat and had an accent, like he was mimicking someone else. To Asura and Ardur, it didn't sound...quite right, yet they still understood what the child was saying.
"No, ya stupid human!" the Bugbear roared, clutching its wounded arm. "I'm Bear-Ate! I left dat dum tribe long time ago!" The boy began to circle as the gray furred beast bared its fangs, the only weapons left to it now.
"I'm not sure, sir, but I don't think this is the right one! It definitely said no!" The squire's voice sounded normal again. "Then, uh...an insult, maybe? And something about eating an animal?"
"That's the second time you've gotten distracted, boy." The Knight's firm voice scolded. His charge immediately shut up, just in time for the Bugbear to charge him again. This time the creature went for a full-body tackle. The Bugbear's four-and-a-half foot height was actually a little shorter than the boy's, but in body mass it surely outweighed him. Its brawny shoulder slammed against the youth's shield--yet surprisingly, the human held his ground! A soft, gold-white aura began to glow around his body, and both knight and squire let out a surprised "huh?"
"Hey, kid." Ardur had spoken up, raising a hand. "May the sun protect you and guide your blade." The Bugbear froze for a moment in shock, and though the boy could only look at Ardur with a slack jaw he soon recovered. With a grunt, the boy twisted and used his shield to help leverage his opponent's mass. As his boots ploughed at the ground, he actually reversed their deadlock, and the goblinoid's eyes went wide as it was shoved to one side. A desperate arm lashed out with a wide haymaker, and the young swordsman ducked under it with timing so smooth it seemed like his opponent was moving in slow motion.
"Slash!"
Up from below, that sword flashed crimson once more. The aura of Ardur's Inspiration flared brightly. A blow to the back of the knee that would have hamstrung the foe instead sliced right through, taking off the Bugbear's lower leg entirely. Dark blood covered the ground as the boy continued past his opponent. The light cloaking his body disappeared. The Bugbear spun in place on its remaining leg, arms windmilling before it fell onto its back with a wretched cry. That patched, dark green cloak whirled as the squire turned back and jumped, his shield arm shifting so that both hands could hold his blade. He landed hard on the monster's stomach, driving the air out of it with his knees. The adventurer practically fell forward, and his whole body weight slammed the tip of his sword through Bear-Ate's sternum. The furry brute screamed and choked, flailing with both arms. These feeble blows had no real power behind them, and as the young man ducked his head and braced his shoulders the creature failed to budge him. The sword dug deeper as the boy worked it back and forth, until its hilt stopped an inch from the flesh. The Bugbear's last breath escaped in a bubble of red froth, and it lay still.
"Sloppy, boy, but it'll do for now!" The Knight turned back to the Slimes, Hipixie, and Spider. "That was the Inspire spell! If you creatures can really talk, do you have names? Who are you, and who do you serve?"
He had taken his hand off of his sword, and now stood with both fists on his hips. The boy was cleaning off his weapon--not something one would do if they planned to keep fighting. It seemed like, at the moment, neither of these two planned to hurt the party. Earlier, the knight had only wanted them to stay where they were...but he also had not made any attempt to block their path or catch them. If they wanted to turn and run...maybe these two wouldn't risk pursuit? It seemed like they were content to just try and communicate--if Asura, Ardur, and the others didn't
want to talk, though, and the humans didn't plan to detain them, maybe they could just get the hell out of Dodge...?
Rat Party
The ratpack chose to camp in the barrow for the night, though not without making an offering to the spirits of the place. There were no coals or fire starting materials inside the entrance chamber, so unless they used the firestarting flint they had stolen from the village there was no way to cook their bugmeat or their offering. Still, Asteria tossed it into the pit with a whispered prayer.
You still sense that the Mana here is uneasy...but it has relaxed somewhat. You sense a heavy, slowly shifting Mana in the earth all around you.
With the remains of their prey and dewdrops from the grass, the party was able to sate their hunger and thirst at least for the time being. In scavenging around the area, Asteria found 3 more Nullven Cones. Once they had actually entered the barrow's entrance, they found that the second room still cast in deep shadows was open as well. From around the firepit, they could see through the doorway...though a sense of foreboding might keep them from placing even a paw over the threshold. Still, this second chamber looked much the same in shape and size as this first. The difference was that a large table could be seen dominating the center of that room, and the walls had several shelves. At one end of that table was a drain, with a great basin underneath it--and all of these things bore black, sticky stains. The metallic scent was unpleasant to the rat's noses, but they could also catch a whiff of something much better, heady and herbal. Cloves of some kind of leaves or perhaps some other plant matter could be seen hanging from the ceiling.
Beyond this second chamber was the first real door they had seen. Made of a dark colored wood, braced with iron bands, a padlock had been placed upon it...though it looked rusty and none too strong. If the entrance to the second chamber felt foreboding...this door felt outright forbidden.
Still, the rats managed to sleep, taking the watch in shifts. Mother Rat seemed to sense Ed's fear, and didn't seem much at ease herself. As Asteria took the first watch, the older Dire Rat huddled closely with the Rat Man inside the barrow.
Gathering plants, practicing her skills, and replenishing her Mana, Asteria made her time on watch pass quickly. She watched the moon rise, large and pale and somewhat less full than the previous night. She could see the lights of the distant town twinkling, until many of them began to wink out one by one. Before midnight, the vast majority of the town had turned pitch black.
She eventually switched duties with Ed, and the Ratman was left to stand atop the Barrow and see much the same as Asteria had from that higher vantage. The town, the lake, and the river all bathed in moonlight some distance away. He tried to gather his magic and manipulate it in some way to warm himself...and ever so slightly, perhaps simply by imagining warmth, it seemed to help.
Out here on the plains, it was hard to pick up on the movement of other creatures. Back in the forest, a twig would snap underfoot, or bushes would rustle. The long grass, however, would give way under the slightest sigh of wind. Unless something moving through it was large or fast, you couldn't determine whether a swaying patch had been touched by the breeze or was being moved by a small critter. It was also much quieter, moving through grass. If other creatures burrowed like the Myrminors they had already seen, it was also possible that Ed wouldn't be able to pick up on them at all until he developed some kind of ability to sense things underfoot.
Surely, his senses and his Alert skill could be trusted to some degree. Nothing ever jumped out of the night at him to scream "danger!" So the moon kept on its gradual trek across the sky, the stars twinkled, and the night passed...
***
Ed came awake with a start, only just realizing that he had dozed off sometime after the sky started turning from a midnight pitch to a more subdued, misty hue. But the sun still wasn't up yet--everything was still dim and hazy, and the dew was cold and fresh. But the Alert skill seemed to buzzing dully in the back of his mind...
There, he saw it. Or rather, he saw
them.The first one wasn't very good at moving stealthily, at least not with that dented iron helmet that stuck out like a sore thumb above the tall grass. The second at least kept himself low, and was already shorter. But he was fatter than the first, and being out of breath kept him from being completely hidden.
The third actually would have escaped Ed's sight, had he not been carrying a staff topped with a rabbit-like skull and a ring of red feathers. Even so, it was easy to lose track of his movements whenever that shamanistic tool disappeared in the grass. The last two were hard to catch as well, but their hooded cloaks turned their forms into larger blocks of color that could be picked out better whenever they moved from one position to another.
The figures seemed to have come from the direction of the forest, and were making their way towards the road and the barrow. The first two were definitely humans. The one with the helmet also wore a thick, padded garment of some kind that looked to be made of layered linens. It was like a long shirt, cinched at his waist with a belt and covering his upper arms and upper thighs as well as his torso. At his side hung a sword, and slung across his back was a metal shield. He wore a hood, just a singular garment made of cloth with some fastenings to mantle it across one's shoulders, but for some reason hadn't worn it to hide the reflection of his helmet.
The fatter one was dressed in layers, but his clothing seemed much more civilian in nature. He wore a long sleeved undershirt beneath a dark dyed tunic, and over that had a light vest that looked to be made of a tanned animal hide. The clothing was all dirty, and torn or patched in a few places, like this man had been on hard times for a while--though you wouldn't know it to look at his weight. He had a large knife, like a butcher's, on his belt.
The third figure, however, was clearly some kind of monster. Its clothing had been woven without much skill from vines and grass, giving it a tribalistic appearance. Its snout was somewhat thick, like that of a dog...but its entire body was reptilian and covered in scales, and its fingers and feet were tipped with scales. Its yellow eyes "blinked" two different times, as multiple lids slid in an out of place.
Ed couldn't see well enough at this distance to tell whether the last two were short, maybe young, humans...or if they were some other kind of creature. They kept their hoods up, and their cloaks seemed a size or two too large for them. So even their limbs were wrapped in the indistinct folds of cloth.
The figures had reached the road now, but they looked cautiously from one side to the other and stayed in the ditch along one side. Ed couldn't make out what they were saying, but his enhanced senses picked up the voice of the one in the helmet giving orders of some kind based on his tone. The fat one stayed with him, and the other three crossed over the road. They hurried and scurried, backs bent and heads low. They were headed for the side of the barrow, but as they hadn't looked up yet they had not noticed Ed crouched atop it. Once they were hidden along the wall of the mass grave, they pressed themselves against the cobblestone base and began creeping closer to the road again.
"Still say dis plan dum!" hissed one of the hooded figures. "We bes too close to da town!"
"Sshut yor fayshe!" The reptilian's voice was harsher, like a bark, but it also seemed to have a natural lisp of a sort. "Shinsh thuh mownteen blowed up, bound t'be Advenshurrs comin' t'see wat happun!"
"Or dem vill'jers runnin' away, dey gonna go to da town for help. So we's gonna get 'em by s'prise!" The other hooded figure didn't agree with his compatriate either.
Back along the road, the man with the helmet unsheathed his weapon. Ed caught sight of its gleam, and for some reason remembered his dream from the previous day...the sound of steel rasping on leather. Figures, huddled around a fire.
Behind the well-armed man and the fat fellow, in the distance, that lonely hill could be seen just poking out of the treeline. There wasn't a column of smoke rising up behind it now.
"Even if it is gud idea...which it not!" protested the first cloaked thing, "we still gots ta sit here for long, long, looooooong time..."
"It'll go fashter if you sshut yor fayshe!" The reptile put a finger to his snout and hissed at both of them. Then the three hunkered down, eyes toward the road. One of them lifted a hand to the side of his head, clearly listening intently...
Could Ed get down and back into the barrow without any of these would-be-bandits noticing?
Meanwhile, inside the barrow, Asteria and Mother Rat were awakened by hushed whispers, coming from outside. Still groggy from slumber, they hadn't yet deciphered what the voices were saying, but they knew for a fact it couldn't be Ed among them. As Asteria picked herself off the ground, one of her paws touched something cold and metallic.
A single gold coin, that most certainly had not been there before, next to the fire pit.
Ghost Party
Obtained Loot:
Dire Rat-Hide Loincloth
Small Hollow Gourd (Half Full of Water)
Wooden Cudgel
He had already stolen its weapon, and now Danny took everything else the dead goblin had owned. Which wasn't really much. Its loincloth smelled rather rank, but taking it off did reveal that a small gourd had been tucked inside it. It had been dried and hollowed out, and its top had been partially cut off to make a sort of lid. The goblin apparently used it for a water bottle.
When Jason tried to drain the Mana of the two goblins, he quickly emptied out the sleeping one without resistance, but found that the dead one gave him only a trickle of Mana which was soon cut off completely. It seemed that dead creatures, even recently killed ones, rapidly lost their Mana somehow...maybe it was being absorbed by the environment, or dispersing into the ambient atmosphere? His own Mana, however, was back to Full and once again he received the notice for Temporary Extra MP.
As the spirit scanned their environment for any helpful herbs, he prayed to the unnamed spirits of the earth for some form of guidance. Then he sat there and...waited. Jason continued to look around, but nothing really caught his eye among the trees...and the dirt...and the grasses...and the shrubs...
Only one plant stuck out to him, and that was just because it was the first time he'd seen this particular flower in the woods. It had been there the whole time, it just stuck out now because he was actually looking at things in detail. The flower had blue and yellow blossoms, but it smelled a little unpleasant. Its stem and leaves were thick, and the leaves in particular had veins that stood out prominently to imply the flower was full of sap.
The spear goblin started to stir with a groan...
Farmstead
Lear looked suspiciously at the leaf that Scott handed him. Then, he raised his other hand to his mouth and bit down hard on his thumb. He didn't break the skin, but a clear indention of his teeth caused the skin to swell and redden. Then he crushed the leaf in the same hand and watched the result. He did glance over at Miiba as she talked about "games" and "picture books," then nodded to himself.
"That confirms it then. You two were Summoned here, probably from the same world. There's a world in particular that a lot of Summoned people end up being from--not that I really know why. But they often talk about those things. A "game" or a "picture book" that the people of that world use to tell stories." He shook his now healed thumb and crossed his arms. "The things they talk about aren't always the same, but the gist of it is that they only have fictional imaginings of monsters and magic. Always sounded pretty twisted to me--not that I've met one, mind you." He looked around at the forest surrounding them, and then up at the mountain that had exploded less than half an hour ago. "Why come up with stories about things like that? If your world didn't have Demons, why would you make them up, you know? No offense."
Then he pointed at Scott.
"But what you just did is throwing me for a loop. That's a spell called Scribe. It's not something a Pixie could normally cast, I'm fairly sure...but it's also not anything impressive, at least not at that Rank. Why would your Summoner, especially if it was a Spirit, give you something like that and not like...a Lost Spell, or some kind of Unique Skill?" He looked at Miiba now. "Miiba has way more Skills than a Goblin her age should be capable of, as well. Yet none of them are really...good, in all honesty. They're just bog standard stuff almost anyone could learn."
Lear motioned for the two to follow him, and headed back towards the wall and the farmhouse.
"As for this shadow man...Hm." The big man tilted his head from side to side, literally wracking his brain. "Black hair...that's fairly common in some places. I've heard just about everyone from Yamajima has black hair. Red eyes, though...it's rare for a pureblood Human to have that eye color. Unless...well, a World Summoner wouldn't be your run of the mill Mage, after all...Hmm..." He looked back to make sure Scott and Miiba were following.
"Either way, I think if you two intended something bad at this point I'd have picked up on it. And, again no offense, both of you are too weak to be a real threat. So, as long as you behave yourselves, I'll let you stay here too, Pixie. And Miiba, just because you have a friend now, don't forget our deal. Everybody plays nice, and maybe we can figure out what's going on here." He snapped his fingers as he remembered something. "Oh, and uh...Scott. There are two Adventurers working for me right now. Geir and Mirabelle. Both of you should be very careful around them until they learn to trust you."
The perimeter seemed clear, and the smoke from the mountain had died down. Though the forest was uneasy, things were once again calm. Lear opened the gate, and ushered both Scott and Miiba inside...
