I sat slowly on the ground, close to the creatures.
- Why did they say? - Will asked, leaning a little towards me and almost whispering to my ear.
I guess he felt awkward speaking around them in a language they couldn't understand, but his behavior felt even worse to me.
- Sit, Will. They have a message for us.
- Message? Message from who?
- I don't know. Just shush! - I gestured him to sit down.
He did listen, but his eyes remained uneasy, switching the point of focus from me to them.
Ole took his time, to get closer, and take a spot just in front of us. His crew joined shortly. They were so big, that it looked more like they were surrounding us, but I didn't feel threatened at all. They had this strange calming vibe about them. Was it the slow movements? Or the way they spoke? I couldn't tell.
- Let me tell you a story... - Ole started. - It happened a very long time ago. So long, that we only remember because we share the knowledge generation after generation. Our race Uhm's, Xuvi, and Bahumdabar's lived here. We and Xuvi used to be slaves from ancient times, and we worked for great Bahumdabar's. How it came to be, was lost in the past. Our people stray from violence, and work hard, as we find pride in what we can achieve with hard work. Xuvi were different. They used the power of their minds to build machines to achieve what they couldn't with their fragile bodies. They couldn't accept the fate of slaves and kept struggling to find freedom, but Bahumdabar's were strong. So strong that we all felt like sand under their feet.
He was talking slowly. Taking his time with each sentence. It was weird because I now could understand his words, but the vibrations remained. It was not like he suddenly switched to English. He kept using these strange whale-like noises, but I just could understand them. I could even repeat them.
The companions were listening just as carefully as I did. Only Will seemed to look impatient.
- They were chosen by the great one, unlike us. He gifted them with the ability to acquire great powers. They could achieve what we struggled to do in many cycles, with a single word, or even less. Great machines, build by Xuvi, able to fight with winds, and even cross the emptiness above us to different planest, were like toys compared to their powers. And among them, the greatest was Yashasvee'mies. The champion, the king. Chosen by the Great One himself.
- What is he saying? - Will Whispered to me, clearly unable to wait anymore.
- He is telling me a story. Just wait, let him speak!
Ole stopped talking, and instead looked curiously at my comrade, just as his companions.
- Ok, ok... - Will rose his hand as a gesture of surrender.
- I apologize. My friend would also like to know what you are saying, but he can't. I'll tell him later, so please continue.
- Very well... The Great One chose Yashasvee'mies. He became ruler of many words, just like this one. He lived for so many years that nobody could remember him as nothing else than the great ruler. His position was unchanging. To Xuvi he was a symbol of our enslavement. They attempted to kill him many times, just to fail miserably, and face punishment. To the point, the whole race was reduced to just a few and had to be rebuild. This didn't stop them though, and one day they succeeded. Corrupting the source of the great power. The tree that Yashasvee'mies was growing in his great flying city, Aaraam'soturi. It drew all Bahumdabar's mad. They clashed not only with each other but also with us and Xuvi. Leaving nobody alive. Destroying everything.
- Then how did you survive?
- In the great city of gates, Loistavadvaar, we found our shelter. A great wise elder, Maahuu, used the sapling to protect my ancestors, but that wasn't enough, as the mad Bahumdabar's kept ruining every world, destroying every city. My people were only awaiting their deaths in a golden cage. Then the Great One came to our rescue and eased the minds of mad Bahumdabar's, but they became only shells of their former selves. Ghosts wandering the ruins of their own lands. Then Great One took us to vast places untainted by the presence of any sapling. We took half of the world as ours, leaving the other half as a graveyard.
- So... You want to warn us about the saplings? The devices?
- I do not know the last word you used, but I indeed came to warn you to stop using the saplings. They will corrupt you, and your people. - His tone changed, as he was saying those words. Even though, was very smooth and calming by my standards. - Change your minds, and eventually bring you demise. Stop when you still can.
I needed a moment to digest his words. There was so much information, and they were so damn vague. I wanted to know more, but Ole slowly started to stand up.
- Where are you going? - I asked him quickly.
- Where is he going? - Will repeated my question.
- We brought you the warning. Our role is done. The decision lies upon you, and your people.
- But... What about harpies? They won't let you just pass.
- We now know the enemy, so we will be able to find a way. Do not concern your mind with our fates, ad your own is about to be cursed by the sapling. Farewell Peter, and Will.
And they started to leave.
- What the hell is going on, Peter?!
- They are leaving as they told me everything. Just... Just give me a moment. I need to... I need to digest the information - As I was saying this, I kept waving my hand in the air towards Will with no sense, or purpose.
After a moment, which Will patiently waited thru, observing the leaving Uhm's, I started to tell him the same story I was told just a moment ago. He listened carefully, refrying from asking questions, but he clearly had many.
- Damn... So... Are we all slowly going mad? Is the device doing something to us? - Will asked with uneasiness painted all over his face.
I knew exactly what he has been feeling because I felt the same. I had hundreds of questions with no answers.
- I don't know. To be honest... I don't think we do. From what I understood the tree in that city... Shit, I forgot the name. The capital one... That was the only one corrupted by Xuvi.
- I don't think we are behaving strangely as a whole species. It's the usual human stuff. Greed, fear, violence... We are just being us, but still, we should be careful, and tell the others. Like... Look at us now. We are being concerned about this whole thing. Arent we still human?
- Will... I don't fucking know anymore. I sometimes feel like a fucking monster, but right now? I feel normal, and I'm worried about this whole thing.
- We should go back, and talk with everybody.
- Yeah. We definitely should tell Hatta and Aisha.
- And Blue - Will quickly expanded my list.
- Blue? - I was unable to hide my surprise. - Are you nuts?
- Just trust me on this. We really should tell him. It can only benefit us. He might drop his guard a bit, he might even stop whatever he is plotting. Humanity can unite in the face of danger.
- I don't want to have anything to do with that gut, Will!
- Do you trust me, Peter?
- Y... u... Y-yeah... I guess?
- Then let's tell Blue. We should also try to find where those Uhum's live.
- It's Uhm's, not Uhum's.
- Same thing.
I just shook my head and laughed a bit.
- Fine. Let's tell everybody, and then we will come up with a plan. But we definitely should try to get more information from them.
- Yeah... Like, who the hell is that Great One? Like a god or something?
- I don't know Will. Maybe it's a freaking god. To be honest, I don't understand half of this story. It might be just a bunch of bullshit. Who knows? - I spread my arms as I was shrugging my shoulders, and made a face by twisting my lips. - We just met them, so we shouldn't assume they are sharing their story with goodwill, so we won't fall into the footsteps of some other race or something. We need to use common sense. Take everything with a grain of salt.
Will's face remained serious even in face of my comedic gestures.
- Yeah you are right. We shouldn't just take what they said as truth but dig deeper. Consult with the others, and try to find where those Uhm's live to get more information. They clearly know a lot, but share only a little.
- They just wanted to warn us. Maybe we should just follow them? The two of us?
- No Peter. Let's tell the others, then we will try to find them.
- Fine, but we will go tomorrow. I'm too tired.
- And you just wanted to follow those guys?
- Shut up Will. I'm going to sleep.
He finally laughed at me.
The day ended with 61 621 points remaining on my account, and 528 orc crystals split between both our carts.