Five minutes earlier, the inhabitants of Veridale stared open-mouthed at the scene before them. Each Golem was crushed by the mighty roots coming out of the rock walls.
"What the hell is that?"
"I don't know, but definitely something good. I would have been dead within a few minutes if these plants hadn't intervened."
Karl took advantage of this situation to run toward Eve. "Ms. Eve! Are you all right?" He asked in a concerned voice, bending down and gently grabbing her by the shoulders.
"Yes, I'm fine..." She coughed. With Karl's help she got back on her feet and looked like everyone else at those roots that trapped the Golems in a powerful grip without destroying them.
"Good idea. If those monsters regenerate, we might as well keep them trapped with no chance to move." Eve complimented.
"What are you talking about? Who is behind this?" Karl asked, curious.
"Fried. Shy little Fried."
Karl turned his neck so quickly toward said boy that his head almost snapped off. He saw him standing there grimly gazing at all those monsters. The man looked at him in astonishment, admiration and even a little awe. "If I hadn't seen it, I wouldn't have believed it even if the Great Fahrl had told me in a dream."
Eve smiled. "Never judge a book by its cover, right?"
Around them, another dozen Golems formed in addition to those already trapped. Eve clucked her tongue in obvious annoyance. "They never end, these damn monsters."
The inhabitants, after having a chance to rest for a few minutes, resumed their defensive postures and prepared for the attack. Like a maddened horde, the Golems came barreling toward them.
"Shit, they weren't running before!"
"Everybody be careful!"
What none of them expected was to be overtaken by them. The Golems ignored them completely. It was as if they had another target. The inhabitants turned toward where those monsters were headed in a hurry and opened their eyes wide in terror.
"Fried, move away from there! They will kill you!"
The boy immediately found himself surrounded by the Golems formed just seconds before. His eyes did not lose that grim sparkle. A few steps in front of his feet, the ground trembled again. More roots sprang up and grabbed the remaining Golems.
"Unbelievable..."
"That was really close."
"You say? It seems to me that until now the boy has never been in danger."
Looking at his face, he did not seem the least bit surprised, unlike all of them, as if he knew what was happening.
"Did you get there? He was the one who saved our asses." Eve declared, approaching the group with Karl at her side supporting her.
"But how is that possible? We didn't know he knew how to use magic. Has he been hiding it all this time?"
"'Nah, he didn't know it either. The only one who knew that Fried possessed magical powers within him was me."
No one had a chance to ask questions as they suddenly heard the sound of stones slamming into the ground. They turned, swords ready to attack, and saw that all the Golems crumbled from the roots' grasp.
"Why are you destroying them now?"
"It doesn't seem to me that those roots are applying that much force. It looks like the Golems can self-destruct."
To their surprise, however, none of the Golems reformed. Several seconds passed and silence enveloped the cavern.
"Does this mean we have won?"
"The Adventurers did it?"
A thud caught their attention and they saw Fried lying on the ground, unconscious. The first to run toward him was Eve. "Fried!" She checked his condition and breathed a sigh of relief. He was just tired. Thinking about it, it couldn't have been otherwise. He had just used his magical powers for the first time just to save them. He used a considerable amount of energy that he was not used to.
The group of inhabitants remained silent, waiting for the Adventurers to return from the bottom of the cave. They did not have to wait more than a few minutes for them to emerge from the shadows with huge smiles on their faces.
The gazes of the inhabitants brightened and their smiles widened. It was clear what the outcome of the battle had been.
"They did it!!!"
"We are all safe!"
Everyone shouted, jumped, and hugged each other.
Eve stood in front of them. "Thank you so much for your help. Without you, none of us would have had the strength to make it, much less the courage to fight."
"On our own, we would never have made it. If you had not intervened, we would have died even before we reached the Golem Lord." Lucia spoke on behalf of all the Adventurers.
"What happened to Fried?" Sofia asked in a worried voice, stretching her neck toward where he was lying.
"He's fine. Let's say it's mostly because of him that we're still alive." Eve answered her with a small smile on her face. "So you guys succeeded in your quest?"
The group of Adventurers looked at each other with uncertain expressions. It was still Lucia who spoke. "We think not. In fact, our quest was to save your village, but I think killing the Golem Lord was only one of two steps."
"One of two? And the second would be..." Eve froze, unsure if that was what she was thinking about.
"Returning your village to the way it was until a few days ago." Samuele continued. "And we have no idea how to do that, I'll be honest." He finished in a grave voice.
After killing the boss, the System did not tell them that it had completed the quest. They did not realize it right away; they were too caught up in the joy of defeating the Golem Lord.
This, however, was a big problem. How could they bring back the village of Veridale thriving as it was a few days before? From what they learned, it was because of the fallen tree if the village was reduced to this condition. What could they do to solve this problem?
"Then we will come up with a solution, but first let's get out of here. I can't stand being in this cave anymore." Said Eve. "Come on, men, someone get the boy and let's get out of here."
Outside the cave, moonlight illuminated the forest around them. They reached the village in a few hours, tired as they were. Everyone rested. The Adventurers were given the opportunity to stay at the inn and, unable to do anything else, they gladly accepted.
There were three rooms in the upper floor of the inn, so they arranged themselves. In the first two they divided the eight males, and in the third one Lucia and Sofia were accommodated.
The rooster crowed. Outside the moon showed itself ever present, like a friend ready to extend a hand.
One by one, the Adventurers awoke. There were a few who certainly could not call themselves early risers, but they were quickly lifted out of bed with a few kicks and not without some annoyed grunts.
Arriving downstairs, the boys found Lucia and Sofia staring at them impatiently. "About time." Said Lucia.
"Good morning." Greeted Samuele.
"You boys are such sleepyheads." Affirmed Sofia, with her arms crossed and her foot drumming the floor continuously.
"It is you who get up too early." Manuele replied, his voice still sleepy. He yawned. "What is there to eat?"
Ms. Eve's sarcastic voice then intervened. "Oh, well, we have a wide selection: we go from a very good and tasty mashed potatoes to a mammoth with garlic and fried tomatoes. What will you have?"
Unfortunately for her, Manuele did not seem to catch her tone. "I'm curious about the mammoth meat. I'll have that."
Sofia slapped him on the head, earning a silent thanks from all present.
"Forgive him, Ms. Eve. Being freshly awake, this one is even more of an idiot than he normally is."
"We have food rations you can take and eat, but don't expect anything much."
Lucia shook her head. "Don't worry about us. We don't need to eat. Having solved the tree problem, we'll go back home and eat our fill."
"Nonsense! You have fought hard as well as the rest of us. It is not enough just to have a good rest to recover from accumulated fatigue. You need energy that only by eating can you regain. It won't be much what we can offer you, it's true, but I won't take no for an answer."
"If you put it that way, we thank you."
"Besides, you said it yourself: you don't know how to solve this problem. Who knows how long it will take to find a solution. In fact, there is a solution.
"Really? And what would that be?"
"To leave." Said Eve in a solemn tone. "Let's find a new place to set up our village and start from scratch."
"Do you think you can make it?"
"We will still die if we stay here."
Samuele did not think that might be the right solution. Or rather, maybe for the people of Veridale it was, but not for him and his group.
If they migrated, would the System recognize that as completing the quest? It said it clearly.
SAVE THE VILLAGE OF VERIDALE.
Failure to complete the quest would have left them stranded there for thirty days. That was not the real problem, however. Until the quest was completed, the portal would remain open to everyone, including inhabitants of this world. This meant not only the possible visitation of the wonderful and harmless inhabitants of Veridale, to whom they would gladly offer coffee, but also the possible monsters that would attack their world.
The quest had to be completed, whatever the cost.
"Please give us a few days to think about something." Samuele pleaded. "If we cannot solve the problem of this tree, then you will be very free to leave and find a new place to put down your roots. Do you have anything else to lose, having reached this point?" He finished with harsh words, but he was forced by circumstances. He could not allow them to pack their bags.
Ms. Eve's gaze became hard, cold, enough to make those present flinch. "Our lives we have to lose, that's what, boy. You have no idea what it's like to have to lead a group of people in a difficult situation like this. Everyone's lives rest on my shoulders, no one else's. All it takes is one wrong decision to cause them all to fall like leaves in autumn."
"In that cave he entrusted all those lives to us as well. What has changed now? Why take on everything? What does she want to prove? That she is a strong woman capable of leading her fellow citizens in the right direction? Those lives carry no small amount of weight. If she continues to carry them on her shoulders alone, she will drown at the first lake she meets on her path. Share those lives with all of us, as you did yesterday. Together we can find the right path and make it through once again."
Ms. Eve stood in silence, thinking. A few seconds later, she spoke. "Has anyone ever told you that you suck with words, boy?" Samuele visibly contracted his eyes, which made the woman smile imperceptibly. The latter turned toward the exit and walked on. "Just a few days, no more."
Once out of their sight, Sofia approached Samuele.
"Why did you say those things? How can we help you?"
"I haven't the slightest idea." Said Samuele simply.
Sofia held her head, looked pleadingly at Lucia and spoke. "We are surrounded by idiots, Lulù!"
'Lulù? Lucia repeated to herself, almost not believing her ears. She thought no more about it, however, and turned to Samuele. "As far as I'm concerned, you didn't make a mistake. We all know what it means not to complete a quest given by the System. You did what you could to give us all time together to think about what to do about it."
"Thank you."
"You really suck at words, though." For the second time that day, Samuele contracted his eyes in obvious annoyance.
" 'If she continues to carry them on her shoulders alone, she will drown at the first lake she meets on her path.' " Sofia repeated, trying to imitate the same tone as Samuele. "But what kind of metaphor is that?" She then exploded into a loud, infectious laugh that involved the other Adventurers as well. Even Lucia had to hide her amused smile with her hand.
The only one who did not laugh was the very object of that jubilation. "I didn't know what else to say to convince her." He mumbled in an annoyed tone, his face completely red with embarrassment. At that moment he wished nothing more than to disappear, away from everything and everyone, and bury himself several meters underground.
END OF CHAPTER.
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Apparently the mission has not yet been completed.... What a complicated first outdoor mission.
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See you tomorrow, same time. Bye!