“That’s the second time you’ve called it the Bazaar of the Beastkin,” I said. “But I’ve only heard it called the Bazaar of Beasts.”
Chosi huffed angrily. “Bazaar of Beasts, that was what the Slavers called it. That is what Lord Leonidas has made it into.”
That was an interesting twist.
“So, Leonidas was made into a slave?” Olaf asked, getting the conversation back on track.
“I believe that is what happened,” Chosi answered. “I believe some of the Human villages may have had members involved. It is the only reason I can think of. The only reason that would have led to them being slaughtered as they were.”
I was still wondering why Leonidas ordered Chief Gofi to attack the Human villages. Why wouldn’t he take part himself? I kept coming back to the idea that he knew about the Judgment system. But how would he have known about it back then? Unless I wasn’t the first. I suppose it was arrogant to think I was the first Warrior Priest in the World Tree. But that still didn’t explain how Leonidas knew. Or was I just assuming too much?
“What class is Leonidas?” I asked.
“He is a Paladin of the Undergod Kokou, the most highly feared Warrior of the Undergods,” Chosi answered, sending my mind into overdrive. Were the other Gods warning their Paladins about the Warrior Priests of the Gods and Goddesses of Justice? Were they also warning their Priests? Or was something else going on?
“That kind of screams evil, doesn’t it?” Baby asked.
“It certainly seems that way,” I said.
“The Undergod Kokou is neither good nor evil. He is a Warrior God and as such, he will support any Warrior who pledges to fight for him. The Undergod Kokou is also the Patron Deity of the Rhinomen Tribe,” Chosi explained. “I have risked much by inviting you here to my tribe, but if something is not done soon, it will mean the end of us.”
“What do you require of us?” Olaf asked.
“If we wish to depose Lord Leonidas, we must remove his supporters,” Chosi said, prompting a quest text to pop up.
Quest Alert: Chief Chosi of the Cheetahmen 2 (Recommended Level 23-27)
Chief Chosi of the Cheetahmen Tribe asks for your help to depose the tyrant Lord Leonidas Lionman, beginning with removing his chief supporter, Chief Gofi of the Rhinomen.
Reward: Experience, Hidden
Do you accept this Quest?
Yes
No
My eyes popped when I saw the recommended level. That was far above us and something that would be beyond our ability just from a pure level perspective. Then if you consider that most of our stats were levels behind our actual levels . . . it wasn’t good and never should have been offered to us as things stood.
If that wasn’t enough of a reason to say no, there was also the results of our Hammerton adventure to consider. We did something similar just a couple weeks ago with the Duke of Anvilton, and that ended in a less than ideal way. No matter how successful the God Ivaldi considered it. Marie and Sooty were basically banished from their homes or else they risked undoing the peace they had fought so hard to obtain. And now we were being offered a similar quest, one that was basically asking us to assassinate the leader of another tribe. Could we be guaranteed that getting involved in this would turn out better? I was very uncomfortable with getting tied up in this quest line.
Unfortunately, before I could object, and suggest we discuss it, Olaf answered for all of us, “We’ll do it.”
“We will do what we can to support you,” Chosi said. “I will have my best scout show you the way.”
And she wanted it done now? At our current levels? This time I did speak up before Olaf agreed to follow along with Chief Chosi’s plan. “Hold on a minute. We need to discuss our strategy,” I said.
“By all means,” Chosi said, motioning for us to go ahead.
“In private . . . please,” I said, adding the ‘please’ as an afterthought.
Chosi frowned, it was only a hint of it, but I saw it. She was not happy about my request. “Of course, of course,” she said. “I will go inform my people of your willingness to help us.”
I waited until Chosi left before I spoke up. “What are you thinking?” I snapped at my friend.
“What?” Olaf asked, taken aback by the harshness of my voice.
“Why would you accept a quest like that without discussing it with us? Did you learn nothing from Hammerton and Anvilton?” I asked. I didn’t have much room to reprimand him for accepting a quest given how often I manage to embroil us in things just like this. Before Olaf could bring that up, I pressed on. “Our friends no longer have a home because of our involvement in their politics. And while I think Leonidas might be a real problem, we don’t know if removing him will make things worse. And now, we’re being asked to eliminate a political rival, like hired assassins. At least with the Duke, we did the proper research. We saw firsthand the evil he was willing to commit.”
“We saw that village,” Olaf said.
“And you just believed her?” I asked. “Did she give you any proof other than her word? And didn’t Leonidas warn you she was gifted with a silver-tongue? Granted, he may well have been lying as well.”
Olaf cursed and rubbed at his temples. “I am really not thinking right today.”
“No, that was something else,” Rose said. “I was totally convinced she was telling the truth. It wasn’t until Jack said something that I even questioned it or considered she might be lying to us.”
It only then occurred to me that Chief Chosi might have tried some kind of mental skill on us. Suddenly, I was taking in the room again. It was dimly lit and quite warm and the incense smell permeated everything, a combination that would make anyone drowsy . . . sleepy even. It was a trick used by fortune tellers and hypnotists, another thing I had picked up from old crime shows.
The flashing of my system notices made me curious.
Hypnotic Suggestion Resisted – Divine Intervention
Hypnotic Suggestion Resisted– Divine Intervention
Mental Armor has gained a level. Chance to resist mental effects increased by 0.05%
“This is not good,” I said, letting my eyes roam over the long list of notifications about resisting ‘Hypnotic Suggestion’ notification and level up notices for my ‘Mental Armor’ skill.
Mental Armor
Level: 32
Experience: 4.11%
Skill Effect (Passive): Your mental toughness grants you a 1.60% chance to resist mental effects.
I’m not sure which Deity intervened on my behalf, but I owe whoever it was a lot of offerings.
“What?” Rose asked.
“Hypnotic Suggestion,” I answered. “She was using a skill on us. I only resisted because a deity intervened on my behalf.”
“Great, just great,” Olaf complained. “Now what do we do? Chief Chosi is out there now, expecting us to attack the Rhinomen village.”
“If we don’t go, they might attack us,” Baby said.
“Oh, they will certainly do that,” Marie said. “They might attack us anyway if Chosi realizes Bye-bye resisted her skill.”
“We might need to go along with it, for now at least,” I said. We were really backed into a corner on this one. But that didn’t mean there wasn’t a way out. “And when we get to the village, I will insist we talk to them first.”
“Let’s just hope they don’t decide to kill you first,” Rose said. “Non-Beastkin, remember?”
“Right, I will insist Olaf talks to them first,” I said, changing my plan slightly. “I feel like there is a lot of the story we are not getting.”
“Never trust a cheater,” Harrison said, guffawing at his really bad play on words.
“Oh, you used it first,” Micaela pouted, a little of her usual spirit kicking back in.
Harrison could only continue laughing.
“Alright, let’s get this over with,” Olaf said. “Weapons away, we don’t want to show them any signs of aggression . . . just . . . you k
now, be ready if it hits the fan.”
Chapter 14
“Are you ready to go?” Chosi asked as we emerged from her hut.
“We are,” Olaf said.
“I still think this is a bad idea,” I said, making a show of complaining.
“We’ll be fine, stop worrying so much, Bye-bye,” Micaela said.
“At the very least we should send Marie and Harrison back to camp,” I said. “Unlike us, they won’t come back if they die.”
“Alright, alright,” Olaf said begrudgingly. “Harrison, please ensure Marie makes it back safely.”
Harrison grumbled. “Fine, but I expect a detailed report on how the fight goes when you get back.”
Olaf rolled his eyes. “Fine,” he said before turning back to the Cheetahmen Chief. “Now, Chief Chosi, I believe my companions and I are ready to go.”
Chosi’s eyes lingered on Harrison and Marie for a moment before addressing Olaf directly. “Of course, of course. Would you like for me to arrange for an escort for your friends?”
“Not necessary, ma’am,” Harrison said confidently. “Nothing out there could kill me so long as I have the support of a good healer, or in this case, a Paladin. Right, Marie?”
“Aye, I will keep you alive,” Marie answered. “You just make sure you do not let anything eat me. Delicious though I may look, I assure you, all Dwarves are tough and grisly.”
Harrison barked a laugh. “Well, you heard her. We will see you all back at camp then.”
Olaf gave the Boarman a nod in farewell and watched them go.
“My sister Tikka will guide you,” Chosi said.
“Excellent,” Olaf said, clapping his hands together.
“Follow,” Tikka said, setting off at a slightly faster pace than she set on the way to the Cheetahmen village. Thankfully, it was a pace we were all able to keep up with. It made me wonder if the previous pace was slightly slower due to Marie, she was the lowest level among us.
“What can you tell us about Chief Gofi?” I asked on one of our breaks.
“He is . . . strong, but also stupid, arrogant, and violent,” Tikka answered, a cat like hiss following her statement. “So many dead for his-” she started to say something but stopped herself as if she realized she was about to say something she shouldn’t.
“His what?” Olaf asked.
“It is not important,” Tikka snapped, looking ruffled for the first time. “We have rested long enough, let us move.”
Tikka didn’t talk after that, even when we tried to question her during our breaks from running. Eventually, we arrived at our destination. Or rather, Tikka stopped us on a small rise about a mile from a village. A village that I assumed was our destination.
“That is the Rhinomen Village,” Tikka said, pointing to the small grouping of huts in the distance.
“Great, let’s go kill a Rhinoman,” Olaf said, playing his role.
“Wait, we can’t just kill him. We need to talk to him first,” I said.
“He will more than likely kill you if you try. I told you, he is stupid,” Tikka said harshly, baring her fangs again.
“I don’t care,” I said harshly. “We can’t just attack a village, there will be children there.”
Tikka seemed to soften slightly. “Do what you want,” she snapped, before suddenly sprinting away.
“Think she’s really gone?” Micaela asked.
“Vision?” I asked.
“She is really fast,” the Spirit Wolf said, appearing in his usual manner. “She is running back toward her village and I can no longer see her.”
“Good, keep an eye out for her return,” Olaf said.
“Will do, Minion Number One,” Vision said, getting a laugh from most of us.
“Right, Fairy Overlord,” Olaf said, addressing the blushing Babies Breath. “Mind doing a reconnaissance fly-over?”
“You know I don’t have ‘Stealth’, right?” Baby asked.
“Maybe now is a good time to learn,” Rose teased her sister.
Baby pouted. “Fine, but if I get shot out of the sky, I’ll . . . I’ll-” she tried to threaten but apparently couldn’t find the right threat. “Let’s just say, I’ll make you pay,” she finally said before zipping into the air.
“Your sister’s threats need a little work,” Micaela said.
Rose shrugged. “Let’s be honest. Even when she does threaten in that form, it is completely ineffective. She’s just too cute.”
“True, I remember when my little girl was that age, she was so innocent,” Olaf said to which Micaela snorted.
“Our daughter was a holy terror when she was the age Baby looks. You, sir, were just completely wrapped around her little finger,” Micaela stated. “I love my daughter to death, but you were her puppet and she had a level of mastery over you that I just could not match.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Olaf said, casting his eyes skyward to look for Baby’s return.
Micaela laughed lightly before hugging her husband from behind. “I love you, Ollie. Don’t ever change.”
Baby returned a moment later, looking completely unharmed. “Looks quiet. Two Rhinomen are standing guard at the gates, both level 21 wearing shields and holding a mace in their other hands. There are only about twenty huts including a large one in the center that I’m guessing belongs to the Chief. But . . . most of them look unoccupied.”
“That seems kind of small,” I said. Twenty huts didn’t sound like much. “How did such a small tribe wipe out three Human tribes?”
“Let’s go ask,” Olaf answered, leading the way.
Once we came into view, one of the two guards ran into the village toward the largest hut, returning when we were about ten yards from the gate. With him came a Rhinoman almost a foot taller than he was. This, I assumed, was Chief Gofi.
“State your purpose,” Gofi’s deep voice boomed before we got any closer.
“Greetings,” Olaf said with a broad smile. “Lord Leonidas suggested I come introduce myself. He told me Chief Gofi is a good leader. He also said you might have need of some assistance.”
“We do not need or want the help of a traitor to the Beastkin,” Gofi snapped, his glare narrowed on me, then Rose, and finally Baby.
“Come now, there is no need for that,” Olaf said. “We’re adventurers. Helping people is what we do, just as Lord Leonidas is an adventurer.”
Gofi snorted and stamped a foot, giving me the impression that this wasn’t working.
“This isn’t working,” Rose hissed softly, her hands twitching toward her shields.
“Why did you slaughter the Human villages?” I asked, knowing it was likely to anger the Rhinoman even further, but at this point answers were more important than our lives. Hopefully, the shocking suddenness of the question would give him pause.
Thankfully, instead of getting angry, Gofi looked away, as if he was ashamed. He shook his head once and snorted, forcing his anger before looking back at us. “They deserved death.”
“Even the children?” I asked, trying to find out why the shame had been there.
“That . . . no,” Gofi stated, his voice filled with guilt and self-recrimination. “Children should never be harmed for the mistakes of their parents,” he said, looking back into the village, toward his hut, where I could now see the head of a small child Rhinoman poking out only to duck back out of sight once he realized he’d been caught.
“What mistakes?” Olaf asked.
Gofi stood taller. “I was not meant to be Chief. I am a proud Warrior, that was my life and reason for living. It was my duty to protect my village. My brother, Gogi. He was a true Chief. He was not a strong Warrior, but he was smart and capable. He was even in line to become the next Lord of th
e Bazaar. And then Humans took him from us. Sold him into slavery. And finally killed him.”
“How do you know it was Humans?” Olaf asked.
“Lord Leonidas, he told me. He told me how he was also sold into slavery and how he met my brother. He told me it was the Humans that killed my brother when his strength failed him,” Gofi roared, his nostrils flaring in anger, stomping his foot again as if building up to charge at us.
“Did he give you any proof?” I asked.
“He knew my brother. Knew things only my brother would know. That is all the proof I needed to know that my brother trusted him, and that I could trust him,” Gofi stated.
I really wanted to snipe at him with something along the lines of ‘so, you killed all the Humans instead of those responsible?’ but I had a feeling that wouldn’t go over very well.
“So, you killed them all?” Rose demanded, making me curse inside my head.
“Yes!” Gofi roared. “They took my brother from us. We are so few and Humans are so many, and yet they take, and they take, and then take more. When I learned the truth from one who was with my brother when he died, when I heard how Humans took him from us. I did what was necessary to protect my people. So I killed them. Every man, woman, and child died by my hand . . . to my ever-living shame. At the time . . . I was so angry. I saw nothing but evil that needed to be stopped . . . no matter the cost to my soul.”
At least he regretted it, but that still didn’t make it right.
“How did you kill so many?” Olaf asked.
“We are Rhinomen, we are strong,” one of the guards said, then stated with conviction, “No mere Human can stand before our charge. Especially not when a Paladin of the Undergod Kokou stood with us.”
World Tree Online- the Endless Savanna- 3rd Dive Page 24