Friend or Foe

Lovo and company heads East of the old goblin village to where he was told he would find the Druids. Unfortunately, and expected by Lovo, the sun started to rise. His Sunlight Weakness came into affect.

As much as he hated a 10% reduction to his stats he had an ulterior motive. He wanted to show the Druids that he was willing to make himself weaker to prove he wanted a partnership.

As they walked Lovo started to think about the future.

'I need to think something through. I will be getting to level five soon and will test my theory of if my Raise Undead skill will increase by two. If it does and I'm able to get hundred, if not more, undead in my command. I need to deal with the naming of my skeletons. I can't name all of them. I need to think. I'm definitely going to keep Julki. He will be my right hand man. I should have a total of twelve named skeletons. After that I won't name them. I need a total of four personal guards and the rest will be generals that lead the rest. Wait! If my plan of having ranks it won't make sense. They aren't sentient!"

Lovo scratched at his head in frustration and yelled out.

"Agghh! I'm thinking too much! I work on Aldarra and wrote the story for it! I'm not in control here. This is so frustrating! I have to plan for the future but also can't plan because I don't have knowledge of leveling up."

Julki was walking next to him and gently patted him on the back.

"Thanks Julki."

Going back into though Lovo decided he would keep Julki, Atlas and Bulwark. He assumed that the Hybrid Bone was a skill he was learning. Not only for crafting but possible able to create his own custom skeletons. He decided he would focus on that and test that theory.

Unknowingly, Lovo missed the hint about another theory. Skeleton Sentience. Being lost in his own mind, similarly to a certain someone else, he missed what Julki did. By patting him on the back it showed Julki was still somewhere there. If he noticed he could have tested his other skeletons or even if it's based off of who they were in the living. Unfortunately he won't find out till later in his journey.

_________

Deeper in the forest outside the wooden portal, two Druids are scavenging for different seeds to grow in their crops. Both of them are wearing green cloaks over their normal clothes. The only army they have is a leather chest piece One is a young woman in her early twenties who is using her hands to dig through the dirt.

"Dad I found some! Some elder berry seed. These will be great. Once we are able to grow them we can make the mead you and ma always made."

The older man smiled. He brushed his grey beard while using another cloth to wipe the sweat from his balding head.

"Yes dear. Unfortunately Grunga and Gorgo are going to want a lot of the mead first. So we need to pick up as much elder berry seeds as possible. And how do you remember that? You were just a little girl at the time?"

The young woman placed them in her bag. Her caramel skin matched the color of her bag. As she stood up from the ground she brushed her short brown hair out of her face showing her green eyes.

"Dad, why do we even have Grunga and Gorgo? We are hidden away from the normal humans and they haven't found us in the years we lived here. We are just barely getting by because of Grunga and Gorgo."

Her father smiled like a parent would to their child when even they don't have an answer.

"I'm sorry love. You know how Master Fontana is. He doesn't want any more problems and is taking as many precautions as he can. Unfortunately he hasn't had us visit those goblins or Kobols since we moved here. I hope those little buggers are okay. They were always friendly."

Hidden away 3 adventurers sat and watched the two Druids. A stern looking woman with long blonde hair wearing half plate armor was crouched down. She had a sword on her hip and shield in the other hand. Next to her was a dwarf in leather armor. His red beard barely poking through his helmet. He was patiently going through his equipment and making sure his bow string was still taught. Behind them was a Drow. He was sitting against a tree and tossing a dagger into the ground.

"When can I kill those stupid Druids" the Drow said with a hiss?

The other two barely glanced back before looking at each other, then back to the two Druids.

"Well?" He said louder, almost spooking their targets.

"Shut up Yevn." The woman said to him.

"We are just scouting. The guild hired us to find them and see if they are still working with monsters to attack the town."

"Aye. I'd rather not use my bow to kill these people either. Druids helped my people before. Hope these are good ones." The Dwarf spoke in a guttural tone.

"This is taking too long. I'm going to go over there and find out."

Before the two could stop Yevn he used a skill to vanish and reappear only 20ft away from the Druids, behind a tree.

"That son of a bitch!" The woman cursed to herself. "We aren't looking for a fight! We are here to scout. Come on Kelagar. We have to stop him."

"Right Sheva" the dwarf said with a grunt.

The two got up and slowly made their way to the Druids.

Yevn left behind the tree and hid a dagger in his sleeve. He also secretly poisoned it as he walked to the Druids.

"Ah hello there!" He called out to the Druids. This spooked both of them. They quickly stood up and stepped towards one another. The father stepped in front of his daughter.

"What can I do for you stranger?" The old man spoke to the Drow.

"Ah I'm sorry. I didn't mean to spook you. I got a bit lost. I was looking for the town of Olgin."

The old man slightly taken about by Yevns foot steps. Even as he spoke he made considerable ground between the two.

"Neasa. I need you to go back to the hamlet and warn the rest. This man is dangerous." The old man whispered to his daughter. "I will distract him. You just need to run."

"But-"

She was cut off as he slightly pushed her away.

Opening his arms exposing himself to danger the old man spoke.

"The name is Prydier." The old man spoke. "I apologize but the town you are looking for is quite a distance away. You sh-"

"Oh is it? He he. So brings you and your delicious daughter out here?"

Before Prydier could speak two things happened simultaneously. First was Yevn pulling out his poisoned dagger and the next was Kelagar and Sheva stepping out the brush. Thinking it was a trap Prydier turned to face is daughter.

"RUN!" He yelled while pushing her. Panicking she turned and ran. Before Prydier could turn back a knife was thrusted into him.

Yevn was precious. Managing to thrust the blade through his ribs from behind and managing not to hit any vital organs.

" Ahh. This will be fun." He said before he started walking after the girl.

Prydier fell to the ground holding himself. He tried to use magic to heal himself but the poison stopped him. Sheva and Kelagar walked towards him.

"Why? Why would you hurt us?! We wanted to live in peace with all."

"I am sorry." Sheva spoke softly. "We were hired to scout your Druid group. Yevn was also hired to join us. We are sorry for your death."

The two stood there and prayed for his soul.

Prydier knew they wouldn't help him. As they left he cursed them. He struggled to stay awake. His fingers were going cold but his chest was burning up. He could slowly feel the poison depleting his mana. He tried to save himself but it was already too late. Yevn stabbed him in the best spot to stop his mana from spreading through his body.

His eyes started to grow heavy. He could feel the sweet breath of death breathing just on his neck. Even being filled with anger he slowly started to slip more and more into a deep sleep.

Just as he was about to close his eyes for the last time he saw movement. Forcing himself to stay awake to see what it was. He wished he hadn't.

14 Orcs walked out. Each of them barely wearing any clothes and had stone weapons. The one leading had a large great axe made of steel.

"Oi boss!" One of the Orcs called out.

"Dat one's still a'liv."

"Leave him" the leader said without looking at Prydier. "He's going to die soon anyway. We are hunting the others. Let's go."

His eyes were nearly popping out of his head. This large group of Orcs would give those Ogres some trouble.

The Orcs passed by barely looking at Prydier. But they all had smiles. They knew they had the numbers and were going to surprise everyone.

Prydier felt hopeless and slowly started to slip back into a sleep.

He lost track of time as death gripped him.

"Hey you awake?"