Class presentation I

Lembrandt greeted the tree line before him. A dozen of hooded men clad in green coats and armed with long bows walked out of it. 

"Thank god for you Rangers, a moment later and we would've been killed!" he exclaimed to the men. They did not relax in kind, a man still holding his bow and arrow primed. Confused Lembrandt now looked back to Theodor. Before him he saw the sight that had already scared him yesterday. The piercing red eyes like from a beast of old watched his and the men's every move. Lembrandt had to hold himself for a second before recomposing himself. Theodor walked slowly towards them, his gaze not moving from the man with his bow, and gave the sword back to Lembrandt. Lembrandt in turn relaxed and tried to also relax the situation now. 

"Please-" before he could continue he was cut off by a man speaking up, walking through the crowd that stood before them. "So this is where my favorite quack was!" a rough voice exclaimed happily, resulting in the desired relaxation. Lembrandt rolled his eyes when he noticed who called him. A man stepped before the crowd. He had a rough beard and short hair. Lembrandt bowed slightly before him "You were looking for me you majesty?" he asked respectful. Theodor now looked confused in between them but held his tongue for now.

"My dear Lembrandt, why so formal?" he laughed, hugging him. "Oh and this" he continued "must be the human that shouldn't be here! Many thanks for protecting my dear Lembrandt here!". The man stopped in his tracks when he took the time to actually muster the boy before him. Theodor thought hard how to approach this situation. Clearly the man was some kind of leader for these people. Gelzu could mean anything, but considering that the men were also grey elves they had to be off the same group. The correct introduction, that was what he needed now, or so he thought. And one that includes just the right amount of honesty and deception. Only that way could he safeguard his shelter with these people, whatever these people's opinion about Ashtka may be.

"My Majesty," began Theodor, kneeling down "My name is Theodor, which means 'a gift by god'. I am a messenger by the great goddess Ashtka send to you as a herald of great enlightenment." he lied, looking up to the man expectantly. His majesty, Aurones was his name, was taken aback by those news. He looked over to Lembrandt and asked him for which goddess was that supposed to be. Lembrandt just gave him a unsure look. With a sigh Aurones turned back to Theodor. 

"Please stand up, I don't want the messenger of a greater being bow to me. My name is Aurones, I am delighted to get to know you." he said, motioning Theodor to stand back up. "Please follow us back to our humble camp, there you can tell us of your goddess over a cup of wine." he proposed cordially, to which Theodor agreed with a calm nod. 

Theodor noticed already on the way how this group was clearly different to the other trackers and hunters he had met. They moved almost like ghosts through the foliage, their capes not hanging onto branches but rather gliding through them as smooth as water of a leaf. The other thing he noticed were their speed. Because of Lembrandt and Theodor they moved normally, but when ever someone walked off to scout they were gone in an instant. Aurones moved without making so much as a crack closer to Lembrandt to have some small talk. Theodor could easily eavesdrop. 

"Why are you here your majesty?" Lembrandt asked before Aurones could get a word in, disbelieve and a slight passive aggressiveness apparent in his voice. Aurones snickered a bit before answering the wise man's question. "Well you know Rebtoch. When you didn't return by morning he almost begged me to search the valley for you, ignoring that we just came back from our hunting. Luckily we found you before something worse. And what's with the human anyway? He can't be normal with eyes like that, and our scouts also saw a red light in the night from this exact patch of the forest. Is his story true?"

Lembrandt thought for a moment, before answering "I don't know, we can't be sure either way. Though I have never heard of this Ashtka I am certain that that human is no mere lost boy, especially because he fended off my mind control spell. The place where he supposedly woke up was a Pentagram circled by carved ritual stones too." Aurones looked at him questioning, to which Lembrandt hastily reacted "Ritual stone is a magic reactive rock only found in the far south-lands, beyond the Migkeltonis. Now that I think about it, there's an entire slab of it in the middle of the circle.". To this Aurones opened his eyes wide in astonishment "To think... to think there were people powerful enough to move such a cargo such a distance." was the only thing he mustered to say. Lembrandt nodded in agreement "and that Pentagram..." he whispered, "What of it?" inquired Aurones "I will need to read into this, but as of now I only have a feeling of foreboding.".

To this Aurones sighed compassionate but also skeptical, pressing the shoulder of Lembrandt as if to ask to let the topic rest, which the now grumpy Lembrandt did obviously not take kindly to. This interaction made the still eavesdropping Theodor snicker internally. 

Soon enough they arrived in the camp, all it's residents bowing down as Aurones walked pass. Once in front of the regal tent he announced they'd celebrate the successful hunt their majesty commanded. As people gathered supplies and decorations the hunted game, which resembled over sized goats and boars, got butchered in specially build shacks. The dirt around them slowly gained a dark red color. Theodor looked with great interest as to the kinds of decorations and even sweets some prepared at a free space in the encampment. From colorful cloths hung onto wooden frames to tents exuding a smell reminiscent of cotton candy to fruit breads being fried in simmering oil they seemed to be put together quite well. The people themselves though seemed somewhat malnourished and stressed. Aurones was clearly trying to raise the spirits of his people thought Theodor.

He also tried talking to some, mostly to inquire to their situation or the reason they all were in this camp, as they had shown to be clearly not used to this land. What he got was either a unexpected look of disgust or, from the more talkative guards mostly, a "You know exactly why" non answer. So something connected to the humans of this world and besides that something which fostered hatred was forcing these people into the forests. That was as far as Theodor could inquire. The only hint he had besides the peoples reactions was the very clearly too crowded graveyard this small group had. 

Before long a guard tapped onto his shoulder and informed him that the majesty wished to speak to him. The guard was clearly instructed to be respectful towards him, as unlike the other villagers he at least pretended to not hate him with a fury seldom seen. Theodor agreed and quickly walked back to the royal tent he had strayed from to observe the preparations. Entering the leader wore more kingly attire. He wore now a for a king more befitting red cape with many stiches and patterns around its edges and a short orange garb which had an elaborate pattern of dragons. With a plain diadem on his head he was distinct from the equally regally clothed acolytes who sat by him, clearly awaiting Theodor's arrival. 

"Well, great messenger Theodor, enlighten us." the king challenged Theodor expectantly with a wide grin showing his teeth. Rebtoch stared Theodor down, not sure what to expect. And Lembrandt by all intense and purposes was not present besides physical. He had his nose buried in a almost tattered book. Theodor was not exactly surprised by this situation. Calling himself a 'Herald of great enlightenment' of all things might has been too much? But now he had brought himself into this situation, so he had to follow through with it and play the role he sat himself up for. "Just like a class presentation, keep it clear and concise." Theodor told himself to ease his nerves.

"My majesty," Theodor began anew, bowing his head and talking as respectful, but also commanding as he could, "my wise and benevolent goddess hath sensed the peril you and your people have experienced!" he exclaimed, raising his hands in melancholy. It might was a full on lie in more than one way, but they did not know that, so what was the harm done? Letting what was said sink in Theodor waited for a moment before continuing. "I am sure your majesty and your acolytes have asked yourself, why my goddess, if she wishes to help your people, has not already done so." which gathered some confirming nods. Aurones gestured after a moment to continue which Theodor happily obliged "The reason is simple, non of you pray to my dearest goddess, which is of no fault of your own of course. She simply had no opportunity to contact you, or any other people for that matter." he finished, not forgetting to add "Until now that is." at the end.