I can't believe it. It's really her, that child I... I almost...
"You, you're the tree spirit from the village aren't you, you came to save us?" The girl says with hope in her voice, raising in pitch.
"N-Not... alone..." I say and point to Geline who's standing a few yards back, looking very much like she wants to get closer. Maybe the idea of a bunch do little siblings is beginning to take root within her.
"T-Thank you miss Slime." Says the girl as she bows her head.
"Language Comprehension skills Lvl. 2 acquired!" Alice calls in my head. Ah, I was wondering why I was understanding the girl so easily. My ability to talk seems to be minimal.
"What did the girl say?" Whisper Geline as shequickly comes to my side and leans down, looking between me and the girl with... was that hope? Wait, does this mean Geline doesn't understand Common? Shit, I hoped a strong monster like her might know a little. I had planned on asking her before the whole sky ride ordeal but at least now I knew.
"S-She said you're very brave and beautiful." An innocent lie. It seems to make Geline very satisfied however.
"These children must be very wise." Geline nods in approval, a wide grin on her face. "We shall return them to safety promptly!" Huh, was that all it took for her, a little flattery... I could use that in the future for sure.
"We... go home now..." I say to the orc girl, and point in the direction of the village. Her face falls, she knows there's nothing for her there.
"No... There's nothing there. Our parents... They're all..." She chokes out a sob. Shit, I really knowhow to make a person feel comforted don't I? But I don't really know what else to do. I struggle to figure out how to convey that when Geline suddenly perks up.
"Someone's coming. On horseback, no not a horse, some other creature... Hm... Poor condition... Both the rider and beast are at their limit." Holy shit, Geline could tell all that before I even heard the pounding of the animals feet. As she finishes her sentence, the figure bursts into view.
I throw out my arms in front of the front of the caravan, and my arms turn into a sort ugly makeshift wall. I had intended it to be moresturdy but it appears I need. more time or levels to be able to create structures I want on the fly.
But back to the rider, It's a tall being, wearing a deep green cloak that obscures their face. A gash drips out of the side of their tunic. Those clothes look familiar. The animal they ride appears to be massive boar, but I'm drawn back to their clothes. They look familiar...
The being throws down their hood and I'm met with the face of the Orc I had blessed. The gash on their face remains but it's already scarring, maybe due to my Minor Bless. The side wound is new.
"T-Tree spirit! It's me Broker, the one you saved, that's you right!" Oh look, a name to the face. Broker. He seems bewildered to say the least.
"Y-You actually caught up to them. a-and who are these monsters?" His voice slowly raises involume and panic as he looks between Blobertand Geline.
"What's he saying?" Geline asks me. She canclearly pick up on the fact that the orc isn't exactly happy, I'm kind of glad she doesn't have anyLanguage Comprehension skills right now.
"Hes just.. confused... I'll handle it..."
"We... friend..." I rasp out, pointing between me and the slimes. "Stop.. bad men..."
"Y... You stopped them all?!" The orc looksbetween the three of us, his gaze looks mostuneasy on Blobert. Who ironically committed maybe the least purposeful murdered today.
"Yes... all.. gone..." I say, nodding and trying my best at a smile. I hope it's not too creepy.
"What did you do with..." Then his gaze goes back to Blobert. He is a native in this world, he should know what happens in a slime's stomach.
"Gone." I nod, confirming his fears. He gulps, and then realizes his position.
"W-Well thank you so much forest guardian, a-and queen slime." Broker begins to bow in repetituon.
"Haha! I like this one! He appreciates our strength!" Shouts Geline: scaring the shit out of Broker, who keeps his head down out of fear. She doesnt really know what he's doing but she seems a fan of deference.
"She... say... welcome.." It's close enough. Broker seems to relax a little bit. Then looks behind me at the children, still scared but seemingly hopeful after seeing a familiar face.
"T... They're from the neighboring village too aren't they...?" Broker asks, his voice soft. "Are you the one...?" He had probably seen mymemorial to the other village. I nod. He nodsback.
"Thank you... Please do that for our village too when you get the chance, please, forest guardian." This forest guardian stuff is maybe getting a bit out of hand. I'm not sure I'll be here long enough to be considered that. I did want to visit a city after all, and maybe with my new skill I can try to look a little more human... Hm... Then I'd probably have to leave Geline behind...
"Do... my best..." I respond to Broker. I don't want to make any promises I can't keep. So much has already happened in the last two days, and I have a feeling that might have been on purpose. Something about the way all these events are lining up is making me suspicious. In addition, no one else seems to be aware of, or at least talk about Alice, iAlice, or the Stat Screen. They all know about skills and ranks and evolution, but in getting the sense that's all through trial and error.
iAlice will probably be useless, but maybe I'll question her later... Getting to the real Alice, whatever she is, that will be a lot harder. But maybe that's my new goal. I had more or less accomplished this one after all.. Oh right...
"You.. Take... Kids...?" I ask, hopefully. Broker looks conflicted. He definitely wants to do something for them. They were his neighbors and maybe family as well. But raising thirty kids by yourself in the middle of a dangerous forest where slavers would come through, yeah that doesn't sound easy.
"T-Tree guardian... I can maybe.. Help a few but.. all of them.." He says it quietly, ashamed and not wanting to let the children hear. I can understand, it's a lot of work to raise one child, let alone thirty children who aren't yours.
"We're fine on our own Broker," says the girl with the seed birthmark. The one I had blessed with all my strength.
"C-Cherry I'm not-" Bam, another name to a face. One with the birthmark must be Cherry.
"We know you wanna help." Another older child steps towards the front of the cage. He has a purple mohawk, and a tattoo on his cheek. Maybe he had already begun their culture's steps towards adulthood. This one clearly has some sway because when he steps forward, so do ten more. The seemingly teenaged orcs separate, coming to the front, leaving the half that comprised smaller children to the back.
"Just take care of the little ones. We'll be fine." Says the young orc man.
"Yeah, we can hunt for ourselves!" Says another teen.
"Tch, my mom always made me hunt for myself." Says another bitterly, but instantly regrets it. He turns and sees this brings about a fresh wave of sadness for the younger crowd at the mention of a lost parent.
"My-My bad..." He ekes out before the one with the mohawk smacks him over the back of the head.
"We won't just be deadweight is what we're trying to say." Says Cherry. This kid is resolute, that face- set in stone. I look between the orcs, knowing it isn't my place to speak. However, Geline pesters me for information.
"W-What's going?" She asks, pulling one of the vines on my head.
"H-Hey quit that! T-They're working out the details of what they're gonna do.. Living situations and stuff." I explained the rest of it to her.
"Oh the orc male worries he cannot provide. But the young say they will help."
"Yeah pretty much."
As I finish explaining it to Geline they seem to come to an agreement. The older teens will hunt for themselves and help take care of the younger ones while Broker does his best. For them.
"Uhm forest guardian... Could you... Free us now?" Asks Cherry shyly. Oh right! The kids have been stuck in there this whole time. I push one of my finger-like appendages into the lock that held the chains that kept the gate of the cage shut. My roots expand and grow. It takes some trial and error but eventually the wood of my body pushes the tumbler into place. Huh, lockpicking! Sure it took a little while but it was still nifty.
The chains fall away and the gate slides open, the children come rushing out crying and hugging each other, Cherry and Mohawk hug each other tight. Free from the chains of slavery, but never from their loss.