The Hidden Threat

As I walked West again, I couldn't help myself to look behind me, once in a while. Even with Oslo constantly nagging about the fact that I don't trust him, the lack of people following me is truly weird. I would have at least expected some servants of Krieg to track me. Just to get revenge on their brothers that I melted. But nothing, nothing at all. I am just walking on the ground where I can see multiple trees and plants grow very fast. Since the curse is broken and the ritual of the sorcerer-king is working, the life and vegetation are flourishing again. An oak that could be described as old has literally grown up in more than an hour. Yes, I rested in a spot to raise another skeleton and make him kill the living insects. I mean, that method helped me evolve for the first time. But while I could gain experience for it, my slave is not reaping the same benefit. Even digging the ground is hurting his fingers. Who would have thought that the supposed strongest spell in the world would be so weak?

Because, objectively, a spell that allows you to create an infinite number of combatant loyal to you and without any needs is really powerful. Can be even described as one of the strongest spells. But what I got is some suicidal skeletons that spend their time stumbling on some rocks and die. Even when I monitor them. I tried one time to gain the full control of one of them. Even if I am in a meditation state, and therefore weak state, the presence of Oslo prevents any sneak attack on me. So, while I was totally controlling my skeleton, I make him dig the ground. I manage to do this efficiently, with normal movements of my hands. After that, I asked him to do the same and he succeeded. That's why I thought that by programming some sets of movements inside their brains, I could make them grow stronger.

That was without remembering one tiny and small detail. The most recent order erases all previous orders. That means, when I ask him to, for example, walk by lifting his feet higher, he will do this. But forget the order follow me. So he walked in a straight line and crushed himself on a growing tree. Oslo said that it was one of the funniest scenes he has seen for the last century. If I could just prevent him to say all the sarcastic remarks. But right now, I am beginning to regret to have created this spell. I just hope that Ronta will be the lighthouse in my sea of despair.

And now, I am walking once again in a forest. I don't know if it is still controlled by the elves at that point. I mean, we are really far away in the South. But it is still possible that the forest was this huge. And right now, I have even stopped to spread my plague. Since all the problem I have caused, I don't think to let a trail of dead bodies behind me is a judicious idea. That's pretty easy to notice and follow me with this. But I didn't walk for more than a hundred meters before Oslo informed me of something.

(I have a good news and a bad news, which one do you want first?)

Seriously, the good news bad news? Nothing more original? Let's go for the bad first.

(You are surrounded.)

What? How is this possible to bypass your superior vision? You incredible capacity of seeing the incoming danger? And there is nothing around me except trees with faces and trees…

"He-Hello, sleek sleek."

(Yeah, the good news is, either they are asleep or they are not intending to immediately kill you.)

Great fuckin good news. So I guess you mistook those trees with normal trees and you only realized that now. Instead of running directly toward the elven kingdom, we have landed inside the treants forest. Which one is better, I really wonder?

"Aarree yyoouu tthhee rraattmmaann tthhaatt ddeessttrrooyyeedd tthhee ddjjiinnnnss?"

And they are talking very slowly, it is really hard to understand what they mean. But what should I say, yes or no? I mean if I say no I am still a ratman so I will end up on the case direct execution. So let's try with the yes.

"Ye-Yes."

After saying this, they all looked at me and I think, are now talking in the tree language. I can hear some strange noises and they have a look like they are discussing something with each other. But first of all, I understand nothing, and the facial expressions of a treant are really hard to read. I am divided between plain indifference and a bored face. And disappointment, because I should understand them, I have a passive for that. But like with my fellow rat, when I was in the sewers of Ronta, I get nothing out of it.

And it is taking hours now. I know that I can't just leave like that, but do they really have to talk for that long. With time passing, more and more are joining the fray. I can count around fifty treants now. If before I had a chance to leave by killing everyone, that idea is already done for. Some are huge, really huge, even with 2 or 3 orbs filled with acid I wouldn't kill it. The best I can do is wait. I really am spending too much time waiting or following something. I just want to go to Ronta, for experience purpose.

(Ok new bad news, do you want to hear it?)

No, of course, let me face it without giving me any information. Of course, I want it. Are the elves coming?

(No, worst, one of the ratmen assassins is nearby and I think he is here to kill you.)

Well before I had just the entire world against me. Now I have the entire world minus maybe the treants. And I really mean the maybe. But the good thing is, I am in the middle of a force that even that assassin won't try to piss off. Already fighting in the forest against a few would be suicide, so against fifty of them, not a chance. I am safe here.

"Wwee hhaavvee ddeecciiddeedd ttoo lleett yyoouu lleeaavvee wwiitthhoouutt kkiilllliinngg yyoouu. Ggoo nnooww."

And my protection decided to send me to die. Well, at least they are not trying to kill me right now. Think of the bright side. They are allowing me to leave. Meet my fellow ratman. To kill each other. Ok, I have one option. Run quicker than he would think I can run. I bow before all the treants, to show them my respect toward them. And flee right after bowing to the last member of that improvised council.

(He was waiting for you to leave the protection of those treemen. But now he is chasing you. But he is not catching up. He is fearing a trap or something like that. He is really a professional.)

Are you praising him? You know he is trying to kill me right? What are you, the president of his fan club?

(A fan club, is it the group that supports everything that someone does? Without even questioning the logic behind those actions?)

Yes, it is one of the possible definition. But let's talk something real, are you sure that he is not reducing the distance between me and him?

(Nope, this distance is even growing a little. He is more than three hundred meters behind you. When you both started running, it was only two hundred and fifty meters.)

And I have the advantage of not getting tired, or not getting hungry. So if I just keep running, I will be safe. But he will follow me, even in Ronta. So what do you think is the best place to ambush him, inside the forest or inside the city?

(Inside the forest, it is basically a duel. One of you will die and maybe will even take his opponent with him. He is capable of tracking you from far away and I don't know how. And with me, you can do the same. But the potential for a trap to work against such a professional is really low. So it will be in the end a death battle, your spells against his skills. And I am not betting on you for that one.)

Thank you very much for that last remark.

(While in the city, both of you will be hidden, because the human will not let you rampage Ronta that easily. You will be able to improve your spells, and with some luck quickly enough to match the assassin. It will be both a training ground and a hunting ground. You two will be the prey and the magicians, priests, and soldiers the hunters. Avoid detection, while at the same time try to assassinate the other party. And every single day you manage to stay alive, that is another day where you improve. In contrary of the ratman assassin, who will not experience the same growth. So my advice is to go to Ronta and provoke so much chaos that every single human troop will try to join the party.)

More humans, more victims. More victims, more experience. And with the experience, I will win. That was really well said Oslo. So I guess I just have to keep running now. And hope that Ronta will be as promising as we hope.