As the children prepared to throw stones once more, Aurelia looked up at them, shouting in a gentle tone, "Please, stop! We mean you no harm!" However, the children merely stared back at her, their faces etched with confusion.
The language barrier between them was insurmountable, and the children were accustomed to the roars of magical beasts and the foolish antics of goblins who tried to avoid their rocks. These strange creatures, with their calm demeanor and lack of aggression, were an enigma to them.
The oldest child frowned, dissatisfied with the way these creatures reacted to their game. He wasn't arrogant or foolish, but in the absence of other entertainment, he simply wanted to have fun. Shifting his gaze from Aurelia to Darius, he thought to himself, 'This one is more fun.' With a mischievous grin, he hurled another rock in Darius's direction.
Darius sidestepped the rock, his patience wearing thin as he struggled to contain his rage. Through gritted teeth, he turned to Vera and asked, "Can you just shoot these creatures already? They're not animals, magical beasts, or humans, so they must be some kind of demon!"
Oren, interjected, "I have never read any books that mention demons resembling these creatures. However, they do share some similarities with the fictional monsters known as werewolves, particularly the tails and ears. Beyond that, the resemblance ends." As Oren spoke, the children launched another rock, testing the adventurers' patience.
This time, Darius caught the rock mid-flight and, in a moment of frustration, hurled it back at the children with full force. "Knock it off!" he yelled, his voice echoing through the clearing. His intention was to have a narrow miss, hoping to startle them into ceasing their assault. However, the rock struck the kid on the right directly in the head, causing the child to lose his footing and begin plummeting towards the ground.
Time seemed to slow as the older child's eyes widened in shock, his reflexes failing him in the face of this unexpected turn of events. The child on the left desperately reached out, trying to grasp her brother's hand, but her fingers merely brushed pass as gravity pulled the injured Ocelot-kin away from the safety of the branch.
"Sh*t," Darius yelled out.
Aurelia raced forward, quickly followed by the group of adventurers. Vera commented, "My lady, surely you know we won't be able to reach the creature before…," Aurelia, not wanting to hear the rest of Vera's words, shouted back, "I know, but we should still do something! As far as we know, these creatures really are demons or the children of a powerful humanoid monster. We know nothing and are in an unfamiliar place. Wouldn't it be smarter to try and help rather than causing more problems?" She glanced at Darius, who had just caught up to her.
Darius scratched his cheek, looking away while thinking, 'You say it like you wouldn't have lost your temper if they were throwing rocks at you.'
As the Ocelot-kin approached the ground, Aurelia asked Oren if he had a spell capable of saving the creature from their current distance. However, Oren simply shook his head, "No, the only spell I know that would save the falling creature is Feather Fall, but we are far outside the effective range for the spell to take effect."
Hearing this, Aurelia slowed down into a walk before stopping. She watched as the Ocelot-kin speedily approached the ground.
13 meters.
10 meters.
5 meters.
2 meters.
Finally, she turned her head, unable to watch the inevitable impact. However, right as the Ocelot-kin approached a little under a meter from the ground, a figure speedily rushed in from the side, catching him with a slide in an attempt to offset the momentum. Fortunately, her gamble paid off.
The lone figure was Lila, the twelve-year-old elite Ocelot-kin. To her relief, she had just barely made it in time to save her brother's life. She subconsciously thanked the fact that her younger sister had loose lips and told half the village that her siblings were planning to sneak out and visit the flower field.
Lila laid her youngest brother on the ground, checking his body. Fortunately, her brother only suffered a few broken bones and a concussion; things could have been far worse.
During this time, Lila's other two siblings made their way down the tree, rushing over. The youngest, a petite girl named Lily, and Lila's younger brother Aiden, the oldest of the three, panicked and asked if Elijah was doing okay. However, Lila glared at Aiden, yelling at him, "You're turning ten soon, so can you grow up already! It's your job as their older brother to guide and protect your younger siblings, just as it's mine to protect all of you."
Aiden lowered his head in shame, tears welling up in his eyes as he realized the gravity of the situation. Lily, on the other hand, was openly sobbing, her small frame shaking as she clung to Lila's side.
Lila patted Lily's head in an attempt to comfort her, then glanced back at the approaching group before turning her attention to her younger siblings. She reached into her satchel, pulling out a perfectly round rock and handing it to Aiden.
"This is your pet rock," she said. "Take it and bring Lily and Elijah back to the village. If you encounter goblins, show them this rock and tell them it's your pet. That crazy old man actually convinced the nearby goblin tribe that our kin have pet rocks that love the taste of goblin flesh." Lila chuckled as she stood up.
Lily looked at Lila with tearful eyes, asking, "Why aren't you coming with us?"
Lila pointed at the group with her thumb over her shoulder. "Sister is going to have a talk with those mean-looking creatures." Lily glanced at the group standing in the distance before nodding.
Lila watched as her brothers and sister walked into the foliage of the rainforest before turning her cold gaze towards the group standing in the distance. One of the creatures, whom Lila identified as a female, took a step forward and tried to make gestures in an attempt to communicate. Lila knew what she was trying to do, as she and the other villagers performed such actions when trying to communicate with goblins and kobolds. However, Lila had no intention of communicating with words; instead, she intended to communicate with her actions, but in a more, direct way.
***
Darius and the other adventurers frowned as they watched Lila walk closer, the coldness in her eyes clearly portraying her intentions. The group exchanged glances before Oren signaled to Vera, who nodded in response. Vera approached Aurelia, placing a hand on her shoulder as Aurelia gradually stopped her actions. "Aurelia, you've tried your best, but that thing doesn't even wish to talk peacefully. It's not your fault," Vera said, her voice tinged with concern.
Aurelia sighed as the other adventurers walked in front of her, taking fighting positions. She moved back, chuckling to herself as she thought about how she was the only Blackwood who had forsaken the warrior's path and taken up a diplomatic role. She hoped that after this fight had come to an end, they would be able to take this girl back to Duramara so they could figure out what these humanoid creatures were.
It didn't take long for the battle to start. Lila, impatient for the fight to begin, used her innate ability to pounce, covering the last ten meters in a second and appearing before Garen. She threw out a punch, connecting with the face of Garen's broadsword and pushing him back. "Crap, this girl's a B grade(Elite)," Garen grunted, his eyes widening in surprise at her strength.
Oren reached into his bag, pulling out a scroll before tearing it and casting Fortification on the group. Vera loosed three arrows, but Lila forced her body onto all fours, dodging the arrows as she pounced once again toward Garen. They entered a brief exchange, with Lila getting a few hits in on Garen, but his armor wasn't just for show. In the middle of their exchange, Darius approached from the side, striking down with his axe. Lila jumped back, barely dodging Darius' axe and the arrow Vera shot at her, accurately predicting her direction of escape.
Darius clicked his tongue. "Oren..." he began, but Oren cut him off with a simple, "It's done." In front of Oren, a magic circle began spinning, making a full 360 degrees before stopping. Oren had cast the spell Haste on his companions.
Lila squinted her eyes, glancing in Oren's direction, wondering, 'Are they asking the spirits for assistance?' However, she had no time to think as Darius appeared in front of her with astonishing speed, slashing at her neck, while Garen materialized behind her, striking at her legs.
Lila, a firm believer in her instincts, leaned her head back and lightly jumped, allowing her body to slip between the two weapons. Completing the flip and landing on the ground, she took a firm step before using Piercing Blow, a skill that allowed the force of her punch to ignore a large portion of a target's defenses. Her fist connected with Darius's chest, causing him to spit out a mouthful of blood as he was launched back a few feet.
Garen followed through with his previous strike, using its momentum to make a full turn before stabbing at the girl's back. However, as if she had eyes in the back of her head, Lila spun around, dodging Garen's attack. She grabbed his wrist and pulled it over her shoulder, intending to break his arm. Garen, seeing what she was doing, used the force she placed on his arm to jump over her shoulder, with the intention to land in front of her.
Feeling the lightness of the arm she held, Lila waited for half a second before using Pounce and Piercing blow on her left leg, launching it upwards at an incredible speed. When the sole of her foot made contact, a light boom sound rang out in the surroundings. At the same time, she let go of his wrist, causing Garen's body to lift slightly in the air before falling to the ground with a thud. A pool of blood began forming where his body lay.
Vera's scream pierced the air as she watched Garen's body crumple. "Garen!" she cried out, her voice filled with anguish and disbelief.
Oren, his face grim, couldn't help but let out a curse. "Sh*t, I'm getting too old for this," he muttered, his hands already moving to draw a circle in the air. He turned to Vera, his voice urgent. "Keep me covered while I prepare the spell."
As Oren began chanting ancient words, the syllables flowing from his mouth like a mystical river, Lila turned her attention to the mage. Her eyes narrowed, and she shouted, "I hate shamans!" before charging in Oren's direction, her body a blur as she pounced twice.
Vera, her reflexes honed by years of training, loosed an arrow aimed at the side of Lila's head.
lila, unable to stop her momentum, turned her head while leaning her body back, the arrow grazing her cheek and leaving a long cut. Blood trickled down her face.
Undeterred, Vera fired four more arrows in rapid succession, the enchantment of Haste lending speed to her movements.
Lila spun around, her eyes widening as she saw the incoming projectiles. With no time to dodge, she crossed her arms in a desperate attempt to shield her head and heart. The arrows sank into her arms and legs, causing her to wince in pain as she hit the ground.
Gritting her teeth, Lila pulled herself back to her feet, her gaze darting towards Darius, who slowly stood up, and the next volley of arrows. In a swift motion, she yanked the pelt from around her waist, using it to block the incoming arrows. Four more projectiles found their mark in the improvised shield.
Vera glanced at Darius, concern etched on her face. "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice strained.
Darius, his face pale from the earlier blow, managed a weak smile. "I'll live," he replied, his voice hoarse.
Oren turned to his companions, "I'm going to cause a controlled wildfire," he announced, his eyes scanning the surroundings. Vera and Darius nodded, their faces grim with understanding.
Aurelia, however, hesitated. "Won't the fire inconvenience my brother?" she asked, concern etched in her voice.
Oren reassured her, "I have a scroll capable of putting out the fire, and the light rain will help contain it." His words seemed to ease Aurelia's worries, and she gave a small nod of assent.
As Oren began to chant his spell, Lila reached into her satchel, pulling out a leaf with red paste.
She started chewing on it, and her wounds began to emit a burning sensation, steam rising from them as the paste took effect. The two parties watched each other warily, the tension palpable in the air.
Finally, Oren's spell was complete. He waved his staff in a horizontal line, creating a wall of fire that crackled and roared. Reaching into his bag, he tore a scroll containing the spell Gust and blew the strong flames in Lila's direction.
Lila's eyes widened in disbelief. She couldn't believe they would do something like this, so casually taking the lives of so many. It wasn't that she was scared or lacked knowledge about fire; it was the fact that she couldn't fathom someone killing so many plants without a second thought.
Ocelot-kin had a very close affinity to nature, even more so than most elves. They genuinely believed that nature should be preserved, even at the cost of its inhabitants if necessary. However, they understood the cruelty of the world and how it worked, so they still took from nature to fulfill their needs while promoting its growth even more.
Lila knew this.
She knew that others couldn't hear the cries of the trees and grass when they were plucked or chopped down. She knew that the efforts to promote the growth of nature were often rendered pointless, unintentionally, by the forest's inhabitants. And she knew that many creatures, like the goblins, kobolds, and even her own kin, needed to use nature to further develop and grow.
The flames spread rapidly, consuming the lush foliage and delicate flowers in their path. The once vibrant colors withered and turned to ash, and the soft weeping sounds of the dying plants trickled into Lila's ears. The fire's heat was intense, and the smoke billowed, obscuring the battlefield.
These creatures weren't just cruel; they were evil and needed to be exterminated.
Tears filled Lila's eyes, turning them a light shade of red as rage boiled within her. She tried to get ahold of herself, but as she watched the fiercely spreading fire reach the foliage on the ground, causing the flames to start spreading into the rainforest, her mind went blank. The sound of breaking glass echoed in her head.
An arrow shot through the flames, approaching Lila. Yet, she stood there, taking the hit in her shoulder, the pain waking her from her trance. Her eyes turned bloodshot as she dropped to all fours, taking the form of an Olympic sprinter. There was only one thing she could think about right now, and only one thing she wanted to do and that was to kill.
***
In the depths of the rainforest, Fable trailed behind Marcus' group, his ethereal form allowing him to remain unseen. As he observed their interactions and listened to their conversations, he gleaned valuable information about Duramara and the Nexus Empire. The adventurers spoke of the grand fortifications of Duramara, its strategic importance, and the military might of the empire. Fable couldn't help but wish he had witnessed them unleash their full potential in combat.
Glancing to the side, Fable noticed the tied-up goblins, their eyes pleading for mercy. The creatures had been captured during the group's exploration of the surrounding area, where they had encountered various magical beasts and goblin teams. The adventurers had even stumbled upon some rusted weapons scattered throughout the forest, adding them to their collection.
As Marcus and his companions prepared to depart, feeling satisfied with their findings, Fable remained lost in thought. He pondered the implications of the information he had gathered and how it could impact his dungeon's development. However, his musings were interrupted by a sudden message from the System.
[The Ocelot-kin, Lila, has successfully met the requirements to reach level 11; however, due to the level limitation of floor 1, her level will be suppressed to Level 10. It is advised for the host to create a second floor or promote Lila into the floor guardian to remove level restrictions.]
Fable froze, his mind struggling to process the unexpected notification. The captured goblins, sensing his distraction, began to cry out and struggle against their bonds, their desperate pleas filling the air. Fable, however, paid them no heed, his attention solely focused on the system's message.
Confusion swirled within him as he tried to make sense of the situation. How had Lila managed to reach Level 11? Fable realized that he needed more information to understand the situation, so Fable decided to return to the Core Space.
With a thought, he teleported away from the rainforest, leaving the goblins and Marcus' group behind.