Thanks to the once again perfect indications of Oslo, we reach the first of the two Fairy Town that we encountered earlier. During that travel, we had some patrols of elves roaming around, but we managed to escape them. The forest is filled with trees, not like the new forest created after the failed ritual of the djinns. That means the visibility is low enough to allow us to stay unnoticed. The worst we had to face was just some elves rangers, not the proper army with their spellcasters, their armored guards and their terrifying friends, the treants.
That's why even if we can properly destroy a good chunk of their forest, the latter we do that, the better it is. By the time it will be done, we should have reached the western part of the forest and the frontier with the holy kingdom. About the first village and what happened inside? Well, veni vidi vici. In other words, we arrived, we saw the only threat being a drake and then we killed them all. The only good surprise was the fact that the blood of the drake allowed me to create a new skeleton magician. That was a very pleasant surprise.
About the second village, since we are still a lot faster than regular humans, nothing attacked us on the way. We have done the exact same thing, namely, my skeleton magicians throwing so many fireballs that the poor drake died. How is it possible? Well, we had a debate, and Oslo thinks it is the impact of the spell that killed him. For me, it was still the magical property of the fireball that still inflicted damage. Anyway, the only reason we are a little slow is the fact that I have to grab a crystal one by one and absorb his energy.
In the meantime, since my army is slower, they are already on their way to the next objective, losing nearly no time. Only a few hours before we leave the forest, something happened.
(Guess who arrives, a clue, it is our old friends.)
I don't think you ever talked like that about the elves so I will try to guess and say the treants?
(Congratulations, you win an army of hundred coming your way. It is mainly composed of actual trees moving and only two or three are human-like tree. But seeing how they are rushing to intercept you right before you leave the forest, I advise you to meet them before they encounter your skeletons. That way, you can slow their progression and will have no trouble escaping. Even with your fireballs, don't forget you are still inside a forest, I have no idea how the local trees will react. If they manage to awaken them, you are in a big trouble.)
Yes, I know. While it can be expected that an army capable of producing a lot of fire would win against some angry plants, it is based on the fact that the plants can't reach the army. And here, just the root of some trees can bind my magicians and maybe even destroy them. Like an anaconda killing his prey, but this time, the threat comes from underground. Invisible before the attack, capable of hitting nearly everybody with ease. I am sure that my Chosen will be able to survive and crush those roots, but after they will have to deal alone with the rest. And the possibility of them being crushed under the number is very high.
So I listen to Oslo and goes toward the forest awakening. As I get closer, I can see more and more unusual movements coming from the vegetation. Branch moving on their own, the trunk of the tree twist on itself. Even the flowers or grass on the ground are habited by a strange power. I guess that really was a good choice. Now I hope that I can negocia…
SHLACK
DAMN! A tree just tried to punch me. He literally tried to punch me with his branches, he lowered himself to do that, I can see him goes back to his normal position. That is too dangerous.
SHLACK SLASH SLACK
Wow, wow, wow! I have to dodge everything that is thrown at me. I still decide to not use any spell besides my shield, the moment I dare to hurt the forest, the meager hope of peace is over. They already forgave me one time, the second need me to be perfect in all ways. Of course, I have to stomp on some grass, but my very light body is not really hurting them, so that's fine.
For the next few minutes, I keep dodging the incoming attack coming from the tree. The only good thing is the lack of a surprise attack. Each time, I can hear the tree moving, take his time to prepare his attack by beginning to move his huge body, and only after that, he swings his branches to hit me. So I have both visual and audible clues, and Oslo is very good at remembering the next attack.
In the end, after all that lack of fight from my side, I see far away from me the treants. The real treants, and surrounding them all the moving trees, patiently and slowly encircling me. Oslo, your idea to leave stealthily is done I think.
(Well, that's still good, you have gained some precious minutes to your skeletons. Normally, you just need to stop them completely for half an hour and then you can escape. Otherwise, there is still a good chance that they are able to wake up the trees on the way of your army. I didn't expect the range of the awakening to be that big. And you saw how many were attacking you, imagine that against your slow skeleton magicians.)
Yeah, not a good thing at all. Even I had a hard time surviving and sometimes, some branch touched me but thanks to my shield I was fine. For them? The moment they are touched, they will fall and after that, it is game over. I have still not an army big enough to not care about one or two losses. Right now, every skeleton is important.
But instead of thinking about my army, maybe I should concentrate on the threat that I am facing. Some big monsters made of plants are watching me, but no attack. Maybe they are remembering me, but I have no idea if they were present during the sudden council of the tree-men. Oslo, you recognize someone?
(Yes, you see, the one a little yellow, like he is at the beginning of autumn. This one was present, and I think he was favorable to your action of killing the djinn. So, if you have to talk to any of the three, it should be him. After that, what should you two talk about?)
Ok, first, I have not destroyed any trees since I have arrived in this forest. For the massacre of the fairies, well, I just killed them not the surrounding forest. The drake will probably not be a burden to me since it is a fire-breather. And I will attack the humans, that have probably invaded this forest countless times or at least chop some woods. Yes, I will get rid of them, outside of the sacred forest of …, the sacred forest of … Oslo?
(No idea, I mean, I have an idea or more precisely a memory, but it doesn't make any sense. And since I don't have an instant translation like you, if I told you the name, I will butcher it. Even the human that talked about was not really sure when he pronounced it.)
Ok, let's forget the name, we will just say the sacred forest. I approach the slightly yellow treant, and being to praise him.
-Mi-Mighty treants of the sssacred forest, you pr-rpobably recognize me, I am the ssslayer of the djinns, sleek sleek. I am now on my wa-way to kill thosedirty humansss, that destroy forest and cr-crush trees. Can you le-let me go, sleek sleek?
My interlocutor is perplexed; I think he is. Shortly after, I see him retreat a little and talk to his fellows about what I said. The good part is the fact that they are very slow at talking. That way, just this small reunion will be able to grant me the necessary time. After waiting for a very long time, I see the same monster coming toward me. Oslo informs me that my army is safe now, I can escape if there is any danger. But first, let's listen to this protector of the forest.
-Ssmmaall lliittllee ccrreeaattuurree, yyoouu hhaavvee ddeessttrrooyyeed tthhee ttrreeaacchheerroouuss ddjjiinnnns, bbuutt yyoouu aarree ssttiill aa rraattmmaann. Tthhee bbeettrraayyiinngg rraacce. Hhoowweevveerr, wwee hhaavvee nnoottiicceedd tthhaatt nnoott aa ssiinnggllee ppllaanntt wwaass hhuurrtt. Aaass tthhee gguuaarrddiiaann ooff tthhiiss ffoorreesstt, wwee oonnllyy aattttaacckk tthhee kkiilleerr ooff tthhee ttrreeeess, yyoouu ccaann ggoo. Tthhee eellvveess wwiillll hhuunntt yyoou fforr yyoouurrr ddeeeeddss aaggaaiinnsstt tthhee ffaaiirriieess. Lleeaavvee nnooww!
That was good, I can see that the army surrounding me begins to retreat. Tthhee wwiillll ooff tthhee ffoorreesstt oonnllyy ccaarree aabboouutt iittsseellff.
(Never do that again, now leave this damn place and go to Ronta.)