Chapter 11: Ms. Racoon

Back at the dryad's abode, the horrible truth hit Ashram like a ton of rocks on his shoulders. He had thought about the possibility that he might not find the flowers needed to make the antidote, but he vehemently pushed those thoughts aside. Now he just had confirmed that there was no possible solution. Life doesn't always give you options. It is possible to do things right, and still fall into misfortune. The girl looked at him sympathetically, it must be very painful to accept that you can do nothing to prevent the death of a friend. His poisoned companion was hopeless, but Treeponte had hope if they rushed to help him. So even though she didn't want to rush him, she broke the silence.

- Mr. Ashram, I'm sorry to ask, but my friend may die if we don't get there in time. You still plan to help us, don't you?

Ashram's mind was working at full steam, he was still not giving up and trying to find a solution to the problem. "Only death has no solution" he had once heard, and in that world, probably even death had a solution.

- How far is your friend's house and what is your name? I'm sorry I didn't ask before. - Ashram said.

- It's less than a kilometer from here. And my name is Dyandra. - Answered the forest spirit.

- And in the message, did it say how many goblins and/or orcs were there? - Continued the druid very serious with his interrogation.

- He said there were several, but did not specify the number. - She answered with a countenance full of concern for his friend.

Ashram became very serious, his eyes shone, like when he came up with a plan or found the solution to a difficult problem.

- All right Dyandra, let's get in a spot, we have to help your friend. - Ashram told her, and there was no longer any doubt in him.

Before leaving the house, the dryad went inside and took a small leather bag. Ashram, on the other hand, wrote something on a piece of paper with a chunk of charcoal he had with him and tied it to Mr. Owl's leg.

- Please go to where you first saw us, a few meters away there should be light, deliver this message to one of my friends there, then guide them to Treeponte's home, we will be there.

The bird nodded and soared off in the direction of the camp.

Once everything was ready, Ashram took another clover leaf and repeated the process, making Zulki grow again. He climbed onto her back and reached out to help Dyandra mount.

- Get on, it will be faster than if we go running, show us the way. - said Ashram.

The giant weasel shot off like an arrow in the direction of Treeponte's home. It moved nimbly, but this time Ashram was forewarned and held on better without losing his balance or swaying. Dyandra had never ridden a weasel before, so she held on tightly to Ashram's waist to keep from falling.

Above the trees, a column of black smoke could be seen. The goblins had apparently lit a pyre, which made it easier to find them.

- Slow down Zulki, I want to observe the enemy before attacking them. - Said Ashram patting his pet's neck.

You could hear the commotion from the goblin camp several yards ahead. They were chopping down trees with their rusty axes as if their lives depended on it, shouting profanities in their disgusting language to cheer themselves up.

They dismounted without being seen and hid by ducking into the bushes. Ashram wanted to get a closer look to see how many enemies they had to face, but he was not as stealthy as Kunoichi, and could not yet transform into some animal that would not arouse suspicion. A few trees over, a family of raccoons was trying to get out of harm's way. The druid beckoned them to come towards him, at first they pretended not to see him, but the raccoon lady bit her husband's tail and they changed course to head towards the young druid.

- Greetings Mr. and Mrs. raccoon, I am glad to see that your little ones are safe, but other families may not be so lucky, if we don't stop these evildoers. - Said Ashram speaking raccooneez, in a very low voice.

- Thanks to the voice of woods you are here Mr. druid. - Said the raccoon lady. - My husband is very fearful, and he did not want to come, but I scolded him, my old mother always told me, if you can trust someone, it is a druid.

- Thank you for your trust. - Said Ashram, more and more used to talking to animals as if it were something completely normal. - I have a great favor to ask you, but it is a very dangerous thing. I need one of you to go to where the goblins are, and count how many there are. Then I will know the number of enemies we have to face and I will be able to make a plan.

- Are you crazy? it's suicide to go there! - said Mr. Raccoon in displeasure.

- I understand it's dangerous... - Ashram was replying when he was interrupted

- I'll do it. - Said Mrs. Raccoon, very determined.

- No, don't do it, and what if something happens to you? what will happen to our children? What will become of me without you?

- The children have their father, and if we don't help the druid lord... they won't have a forest to live and grow... - With that said, Ms. Raccoon hurried off in the direction of the goblin camp.

Ms. Raccoon had watched the invading goblins coming from her den, but at that moment she thought only of getting her family to safety, not of counting how many there were. She approached trying not to make any noise, though it was an almost unnecessary precaution, with all the noise and profanities of the goblins, it was almost impossible for them to hear her footsteps.

In front of her were the evildoers building a strange machine out of the chopped down trees, it was huge and could have no good purpose. To one side were several fallen trees, but they didn't seem to be enough, as the goblins kept cutting down more and more. Mr. Treeponte stood behind a row of oaks, waiting his time to be turned into firewood. Absorbed by the horror of witnessing so much evil, she almost forgot what she went to do, she began to count the goblins as she circled the camp, hidden in some ferns.

On the other side of the raiders' camp, there was a rock wall leading to a hill, she wished she could climb up there to get a better look.

She hurriedly counted them as she went ahead, there were one, two... twelve, twenty in total, too many, and they had a horn made from some unfortunate animal, which they would use to call more goblins, she had seen them do it once when she was a little cub a few winters ago. One blast of the horn and many would come in swarming. She had to get hold of that horn.

She crouched close, trying not to be seen, the horn was across the clearing they had formed by cutting down the trees, next to the filthy goblin weapons, near the campfire where they were cooking some poor forest dweller who wasn't quick enough to run away. She could suffer the same fate if she was discovered.

She plucked up her courage and when she thought no one was looking in her direction, she hurried to the weapons, hiding behind them. She checked once more that no one was looking in her direction and seized the horn. She was already halfway to the safety of the bushes, when something grabbed her by the tail and lifted her off the ground.

- Fat rrrat wherrre you goin'? Fatty rrrrat must gorr to the pot. - Said the goblin that had captured her. As he poked her belly with one of his nasty fingers.

Ms. Raccoon was very frightened, but she did not give up, and as soon as the goblin's finger touched her skin, she bit it so hard that her captor released her on the spot. Seeing herself free from his claws, she fled into the forest.

- Ha ha ha ha. Kurk Bee a uselezz fool, rrrat bite him. - Scoffed another goblin who had seen the scene.

- Fat rrrat pay for this. - Kurk howled as he charged into the bushes to search for his prey. Ms. Raccoon ran in the direction of the bushes where Ashram, Dryanda and Zulki were hiding. She had the horn with her, so she could not go at full speed.

Kurk saw her and took off after her in rage, he was determined to throw her into the soup pot.

Behind the bushes, Ashram didn't lose any detail of what happened, he couldn't get out of his hiding place, but he was ready to act, he made some signs to Dyandra and held Zulki so she wouldn't jump on the goblin before time.

As fast as she could, Ms. Raccoon slipped through the leaf cover carrying the horn. A few yards behind her followed Kurk, knife in hand. He was so blinded by rage that he didn't notice when they fell on him, Ashram dealt him a powerful blow with his staff that knocked him down on the spot. Zulki, who had developed a marked hatred for goblins, lunged for his throat, not letting him utter so much as a whimper, Dyandra thrust her spear at him to be sure he would not get up.

Ashram had not killed before, and he felt sick, although in this case it was fully justified, the goblins never brought good intentions, and if they were there in such numbers, it was for some sinister purpose. Besides, another group of them had tried to kill his friends just a few hours ago.

They hid the body behind some bushes and threw some branches and leaves over it, so that it would not be discovered.

Ms. Raccoon told Ashram everything that had happened in detail, including the main reason, the number of goblins in that group, and she also gave him the horn she had obtained at the risk of her life.

- You have performed an invaluable service to the forest, you are more than welcome in my abode for as long as you need to find a new den. - Dyandra said with a smile.

- You have really helped us a lot, I am sorry I have nothing to offer you, except some berries. - Added the druid handing a berry to each one. - Now I recommend you to get to safety, what follows will be even more dangerous.

The raccoon family continued on their way in the direction of Dyandra's tree house.

- Well Mr. Ashram, what are we going to do? there are twenty of them, well now there are nineteen, but they are still too many, they are burning everything and soon my friend will follow. - Said Dyandra very distressed.

- I have a plan, do you know how to shoot with a slingshot? - He asked, as he handed her one and some stones a little bigger than a walnut.

- Of course I do. - She answered quickly.

- Then pick up some stones and let's try to get to the rock wall without being seen. - Said Ashram as he did the same.

They moved stealthily, but the racket the goblins were causing was such that they could not be detected. Ashram took some dry branches and joined them in the shape of a cross with a hemp rope, then added other branches in the shape of claws and horns, to later cover that improvised "scarecrow" with a bearskin that he used to sleep.

- As soon as I give the signal, you start shooting at them non-stop. - Said the druid preparing to raise the totem he had built.

According to his calculations, they were at level two, he had used his class zero magic twice to heal his friends and class one magic, four times for the same purpose, then he used class one magic, twice to make Zulki grow, he had two more spells left, after that, he wouldn't be able to use magic until he regained his spells sleeping or after leveling up.

He was very clear in his mind which spells he would use. They had better count or they would be doomed, they didn't stand a chance against nineteen goblins in a head-on fight.

- Filthy creatures! You have invaded the home of the great spirit and you must be punished! - Ashram shouted, trying to make his voice very hoarse, as he swung the "scarecrow".

The goblins looked puzzled at first, but soon recovered from the surprise and ran to grab their weapons to go kill the "Great Spirit". This was what Ashram was waiting for, to have them all gathered in one place.

He took some black soil from the ground, it was fertile and full of life, he concentrated, this time without closing his eyes and the words came to his mind immediatly.

- Droigheann! - He exclaimed pointing in the direction of where the goblins were gathering their weapons. The plants grew swiftly around them and without giving them time to react, branches and vines full of sharp thorns surrounded them, grabbing them by the feet first and then climbing up to immobilize them completely. - Now! said Ashram to Dryanda, who began to shoot them with the slingshot, demonstrating a very accurate aim. Two goblins fell immediately, never to rise again, while the others struggled to free themselves from the plants that held them captive, hurting themselves with the thorns in the process.

- Ashram stuck the "scarecrow" into the ground, and took the other slingshot to join the attack. The rain of stones was very effective, two other goblins fell, but the quickest ones, had managed to take their shields, so the stones bounced off without harming them. There were still fifteen left, too large a number, they had to eliminate as many as they could while the spell lasted.

The element of surprise had dissipated, the goblins were already beginning to use their knives and rusty iron swords to cut the branches and vines that held them in place. In a short time they would be free to seek their vengeance.

- They are protecting themselves with the shields, we won't be able to take down any more if they continue like this. - Dyandra said, taking the leather bag she picked up at home. - I have a surprise for them. - A druid who passed by here some time ago gave this to me. she said taking out three huge nuts that glowed as if they were full of fire.

She placed one of them in the sling and threw it at the goblins with accuracy. The nut slammed into the shield of one of them, exploding on contact with a great boom. The goblins leapt into the air several meters away.

- Ha, ha, that did it. - Dyandra said satisfied. - I was saving these for a dangerous situation.

However all the goblins were not dead, nine of them got up, completely furious, they were badly wounded, but not defeated. The explosion wiped out the branches that held them in place, so, seeing themselves free, they grabbed their weapons and ran in a hurry around the rock wall to get to them up the hill.

- Damn! I'll shoot them again. - She said, preparing the sling.

- No, there are too many trees around, you won't be able to hit them. But don't worry, I was hoping some of them would get away from the first attack, hold my hands. - Said Ashram bringing his palms to the ground, once again the words appeared in his mind. - "Ceò tiugh!" - He exclaimed, and a thick fog suddenly emerged covering them, you couldn't see even a meter away, of course, this is if you weren't the one who performed the spell, instead Ashram, Dryanda and Zulki saw perfectly inside the fog, for them it was nothing more than a faint vapor that didn't interfere in any way with their sight, but they did notice where the fog bank ended.

The goblins raced up the hill, their little brains thinking only of revenge. When they arrived they noticed how a fog so thick that it could almost be cut through, surrounded them, preventing them from seeing even at close range, but that did not discourage them, they began to swing their weapons blindly again and again. Through the fog, a shadow appeared for an instant with a growl, a goblin shrieked and then fell silent. A thud of wood crashing against bone was heard, and another one fell, they managed to distinguish a silhouette in the fog that pounced on another one, who screamed for help, the remaining goblins ran in the direction of the scream, but they only found the lifeless body of another one of theirs.

If they kept on like that, they would be exterminated, so the one who seemed to be the smartest of them, made everyone stand back to back, so as not to be taken by surprise, but it was in vain, the lack of vision was too great a disadvantage. Ashram, Zulki and Dyandra were getting ready to attack once again when they saw a point of fire shining in the fog.

A split second later they all flew off in opposite directions, Zulki fell into some bushes, Dyandra crashed backwards into a tree and Ashram barely jumped to avoid being blown into a thousand pieces by the explosion, rolling down, engulfed in flames, semi-unconscious. Had they not been deafened by the explosion, they would have been able to hear a roar in a hoarse voice:

- FI FAI FO FU!!!, I smell the flesh of a mountain man.

Whether he is alive or dead, I will chew his bones!

When they opened their eyes, in front of them stood a hideous humanoid figure about eight meters tall, covered with rusty iron, carrying a large mace in his right hand, and filthy hair covering his face. It was a giant who had come to join in the fun.