Ermm... What should I do? Lizardmen rarely listened to words and would oftentimes "Talk" using their brute strength. If my class wasn't a support type and was one designed for melee combat then I would gladly fist you Mr. Lizardman! Ok maybe that sounded wrong but you get the idea! I am no coward!
A lizardman child can engage in quite a heated fistfight with an average adult male and even come out on top. A grown Lizardman... They're much stronger than your usual soldiers along with possessing combat skills a step higher than them.
If I fight this guy. I'm going to get slaughtered. If Ray fights him then he would just get beaten up. Not to mention there are three extra Lizardmen on standby ready to act if things get messy for their side.
Think Dominic! Think! How should you convince a brute? Much less a bully!
"If you are not going to move then I'll make you move!" The Lizardman captain standing before me roared. Damnit! You're stressing me out, man! If you want to get to the people behind me then just walk to the side. You'll reach them eventually!
How do you beat a muscle head... By giving them something they can't refuse! That's right I'm a frigging healer! I can heal people! This is a good bargaining chip!
"Sir if you are willing to listen to me, give the two people behind me the chance to explain then I would gladly offer up my healing services as thanks! Look! Look! I know healing magic!" I hurriedly cried out. Looked towards my arm and sighed.
Riiip! Like a rabid dog, I firmly bit on my left forearm and tore a good chunk of skin and some flesh out.
Ouch! Crap! Crap! Crap! It HURTS!
"Dominic!" Ray screamed in worry and tried to come close to me but I waved at him with my non injured arm. Not now troublemaker. I'll beat your ass at a later date but first, let me deal with this unsavory situation you put yourself in!
I focused... Pointed my magic right index finger at the wound then cast my sole saving ability. Greenlight lit up from that finger and descended down onto the wound. Baptizing it with a blanket of green as the bleeding stopped. The wound felt itchy though soon it scabbed and was somewhat recovered.
"Dude that's sick!"
"He's intense! I mean I can do that too but that takes real balls to do!"
"This smooth skin. I see that he is a man of culture as well." One of the three Lizardmen nodded at me. Making me roll my eyes inside my mind.
Culture my Ass! Your culture is too barbaric! Centered around bloodshed, warfare and constant fighting! Combined they sound manly but together they make you Lizardmen look and sound like unrefined savages. No wonder the other settlements don't like them from what I've heard from the village head who warned us not to mess with Lizardfolk.
"What is your name..." The Lizardman captain asked. I sighed a bit in relief. Since he's asking my name then he at least has enough reason to be willing enough to listen.
"My name is Dominic Remington Sir. I swear on my family name that I will uphold my end of the bargain if you please listen and discuss things with peace in mind." My tone changed from panicked to meek real quick. I mean what can I say? In dealing with people you have to first talk it out and keep a level mind. That stuff is only non applicable when the one you are trying to talk to is too unreasonable or is some beast made for slaughter that does not know right or wrong.
What do you think I was supposed to do then? Get offended? "Stand up for me" and throw this frail body of mine against a beefcake. Lose and get badly beaten up before clenching my teeth and fists hard to the point that my fingernails draw blood before swearing to extinguish the eighteen generations of some dude who I could've defeated with reason?
No thank you. I am no death seeker. And I certainly am not stupid as well.
"My name is Celo. Swearing on your family name to uphold a promise. You are either a fool or a real man. I'll take you as one of the latter. But do not just do such a thing out of desperation. Lucky you are that we Lizardmen value integrity. Others aren't like us..." The Lizardman captain closed his eyes and faintly nodded. Crossed his arms and sat down cross-legged. The three followers of him followed in suit and specks of dust of cloud rose up to the sky for a brief second.
That worked out?
Ahahahahaha... For a second there I thought I was gonna get beaten up badly or get laughed at. Phew. What a relief!
"Alright alright. Thank you sir Celo for your understanding and now everyone gather up! Let's start this trial with open-mindedness in mind. Since the yellow Lizardman in trial has no defendant then he would have to stand for himself and explain with outmost honesty. Sir Celo, you would be the main voice for your side. So how does that sound?" I asked with a gentle cooperative tone. I'm no ace attorney or a good judge but I could probably pull off as a meditator between these two sides.
Once you ride a tiger you cannot simply get off... I'll see this through till the end! I just hope sh1t wouldn't get too bad.
"I accept." Celo thought about it for a bit. Looked at his followers. Two were arm wrestling against each other and the last one was daydreaming after he scratched his bum. Celo snorted. He nodded right after. Alright, that's good.
"Same here." The yellow Lizardman looked worriedly at Ray first before nodding upon being urged by my troublesome friend with a slight pat on the back.
"Alright! Now that's all over with let's get straight to business. Uh, yellow Lizardman. What was your name again?" I asked. Shit I'm already performing badly as a meditator. I don't know the name of the supposed criminal!
"My name is B-Bi-Bioriu." Bioriu nervously said before scratching the back of his nape. Hmm... Nervous and stuttering a little huh... I wonder why.
"Okay. So Mr. Bioriu, what did you steal from the Green Lizardmen to invoke their wrath?" I clamped my fingers together and rested my chin on it. I was sitting down cross-legged too and my arms found support by pressing down on my thighs as I leaned forward to Bioru's answer.
"H-H-Hey! I did steal nothing! It was them! The green scales who stole something from our camp!" Bioriu stuttered and reversed the situation. This is problematic. But somewhat expected.
People wouldn't admit their mistakes outright. But I shouldn't be biased. Maybe Bioriu's words hold a candle of legitimacy to them... Judging others without knowing them at all isn't a good thing.
"Us! Stealing something from the yellow scale camp? The nerve to accuse us! Us honest green scales would never even make an attempt at nearing you disgusting yellow scales!" Celo stood up abruptly. His eyes blazing in fury. If looks could kill then Bioriu would've gotten killed, reincarnated into another world then get killed again.
"Ha! We! The dignified yellow scales would die first before going near a green scale's camp! You guys are genuinely smelly!" Bioriu stood up too. His height maybe only at four feet which made Celo tower over him. Yet the little Lizardman resembled a raging dog whose owner had gotten kicked in the nuts. Seeming to have lost all sort of nervousness.
I could feel my head spinning. Ray smiled wryly at me and raised a thumb in my direction. His expression looked to be one of confused pity or fear. This is just great. I forgot these Lizardmen are colorists! They loathe the other colored scales for some reason! This deep-seated hatred. What could be the cause of it?
Did one of your ancestors make the other wear a green hat?
"Dignified!!?!?!?!" Celo was triggered. So much that warm puffs of air started coming out of his nostrils.
"Honest!??!!?!" Bioriu considerably became a bit redder.
"Then if you green/yellow scales are what you say you are then why did you steal the ceremonial Great Bear/Giant Wolf from our camps!?!?!?!?!" Celo and Bioriu screamed. I and Ray rushed to hold back Bioriu with difficulty and the other three Lizardmen pulled back their captain.
"Oh my god, it's happening. Calm down! Everybody calm down! Everybody stay calm!" 'You're all pointing fingers at each other. What are you? Grade schoolers???' Trying my best to control the situation, my head hurt. And at the same time, it got me thinking.
These yellow and green-scaled Lizardmen hate each other a lot. And they, in fact, do disdain the other color from what had happened just now with the finger-pointing. And if they wouldn't really try to take a step into the other's territory then who would mess with them to the point of creating so much discord?
Things are fishy... I need more information if I have to settle everything.