174 Chapter 8. Hermit, Goblins and Demons
A week had passed, Adrianos, Vasso, Fanis, and Ioanna had gotten more comfortable around Demos. They even go on hunts with Alanis and Alexia. All except Ioanna who stays with Demos the rest of the day and helps with making meals for when they all come back.
They have taken in Demos rituals of praying to this shrine.
Demos was picking was ripe berries with Ioanna. When he saw little men with green skin appear.
"It's a human"
"what's a human doing here?"
"Why's a human this far in the dark forest."
He heard them say. Ioanna latched onto Demos clothes. He stood there and watched the green men; the little people hadn't told him that they were a threat, so Demos didn't make a move.
"You…. You human, what are you doing all the way out here" a goblin with a red cap asked nervously.
"I live here" Demos said bluntly.
"You live here?" he responded back "Why?"
"Why? can I not?" Demos frowned
"This forest is dangourus for humans."
"….?" Demos looked confused
"Moreover, the guardian of this forest is enormously powerful. If he finds you, he'll kill you."
"….?" Demos still didn't understand 'is this forest really that dangourus'
"I have been living in this forest for fifteen years, And I haven't
encountered this guardian," Demos said
"...Fifteen years?" the red capped goblin stood petrified 'a human hasn't been here that long.'
"Who is this forest Guardian?" Demos asked.
"His is a vicious beat, who let the monsters of this forest without a body, not even bones. Any monster who has come across him has never been seen again. So, I'm not sure what he looks like. However, recently there is an uprising" the red-capped goblin became serious as he continued. Without realizing the goblin and his group sat closer to the old man along with the little girl.
"Uprising?"
"Yeah, it was the largest I have ever seen.... There was more than a thousand of them."
"Thousand….?" Demos said in surprise "What happened to them?"
"They where wiped out, of course."
"Oh" Demos was surprised 'a thousand monster wiped out by a single beast. I should tell the kids to be careful.'
"By the way human? You have never met the guardian nor the thousand monsters."
"I have to meet merely a hundred or so."
"Yes, but, those hundred where after me. It seems they were upset about me eating their brethren" Demos said dejectedly.
"...."
"..."
"...."
"Human, you said you met a group of monsters by the hundreds?"
"Yes"
"And they yelled at you for eating them."
"Yes"
"…." The red-capped goblin thought for a moment "Human, and you may have miscounted…."
"Miscounted? No, I am sure it was a hundred" Demos was insistent
"..." the red-capped goblin didn't say anything again. "Well, Human we will be on our way," said nervously
"Ah! Best of luck to you fellow."
Demos and Ioanna watched them set off.
After that, the small green-skinned people would visit and trade with them whenever they visited.
{Artamo POV}
Former General of the Demon army, Artamo Tuccius. Sighs at the fire's embers. The King is gone, and the Heroes have won. The humans celebrate their victory over the demons. His people are slave's ad; his lands are stolen.
Ambrosius Forest also known as 'dark' forest. They were forced here, forced into hiding by the humans. As a faithful general to the demon king he had to do everything he can to protect the young women who sleeps no too far off.
Rustle
Artamo stands up abruptly as he gets ready to attack the person making this disturbance. It was a red-capped goblin.
"a demon?" he said
"…." Artamo said nothing as he looked at the red-capped goblin
"You guys lost the war, huh?" he said
"And what of it" Ambrosius growled
"Far up north their lives the Hermit Demos, he maybe the only ones willing to take in your kind. That is if you guys are running away."
"A Hermit?"
"Despite being human, he's a surprisingly good one.... Well best be on my way" the red-capped goblin left just like that.
"Take us in, how dare a mere goblin take us for home- "Artamo stopped and looked at the sleeping princess. Emotions welled up in his eyes.
The sun had rising into the sky as Artamo covered the fire to conceal that there was ever a camp here in the first place. No doubt they are still being tracked,
"North, huh."
North of the Ambrosius Forest is the most dangerous. Only dangerously high-level beast and monster live there, as well as that frighteningly forest guardian of rumor that lives there. But that might be the safest place for them.
It was an Area that humans stay away from.
"Artamo?" the nervous and gentle voice of Arria Petronia, the princess called out to him.
"Yes, your highness" he said
"Where are we going? How long do we have to keep running?" she asked her eyes full of worries.
"….." he stayed quiet as he honestly had no answer for her.
{End of Artamo POV}
"Grandpa" Adrianos called to Demos who was sitting watching the flowing water with Ioanna and the little people. Demos turned around Alanis and Alexia where asleep on his lap.
"I came to visit" said the red-capped goblin with a bag in his hand.
"Oh! Hobi. Welcome" Demos said
"Truth is I came to talk about something" said Hobi.
"What is it?"
"Demos do you know what's happening in the outside of this forest?"
"No is something wrong"
"…." The goblin signed "The war between humans and Demons ended"
"War?"
"Humans summoned heroes, and then they won the war."
"Summoned Heroes?"
"People from another world to fight for the country"
"Such a thing…. can happen?"
"I am telling you this because I sent the losing sides refuges on your way."
"I see"
"Humans and demons have been fighting for long since before I was born."
"…."
"They need a place to rest they have been running for a long time now. So, this place might be the safest place for them to rest." Hobi said slowly.
While in the background Fanis and Vasso were playing tag in the trees with Adrianos supervising. Alanis had woken up and saw the funny the two where having and decided to go join them.
After Hobi left Demos was lost in thought again. He wondered if the goddess summoned those people to. If she wanted the humans to win and 'demons' to lose. If that is the will of the goddess should he take in those refugees?
But then again the goddess said for him to be himself and nothing else.
In his home country his people took in a trophy thinking it was the enemy giving up. He to believe this all but their prince, he constantly said no to take it in. And in the end that trophy lead to the death of his family.
But, the demons in this case are they 'his' enemy.
Well, he won't know until he meets them.
