The air is thick, almost suffocating, with the scent of earth, rot, and something else—something magical. It hums with a dark, foreboding energy, like a creature bound by chains it can never break.
"We heard your voice," I call out, my voice low. "Where are you?"
"Quinlan… This entire thing is a living monster." Ayame states worriedly.
'Oh. Oh! What the hell?!' I wasn't aware of the existence of tree-type monsters at all.
"I am the tree itself. I don't have an organ to speak, so I use a form of telepathy." He answers, confirming Ayame's words. It seems he can't understand human speech.
I can only assume that my primordial 'compatible with all races' effect is at play here, somehow letting him understand my words while also allowing me to hear his voice.
"May I see your features without your mask?" He asks.