“What prisoner were you talking about planning to execute?” the princess's advisor wondered, on his guard, clearly having listened carefully to me.
“Don't you worry, he isn't a rougarou. He's a scout we caught from the first squadron of the undying. It's just that, not far from this island, the countryside is lousy with enraged undying. We tried to hold them in the Lower Fort and even sent many of them to respawn but, in the end, they made it through. And so, now we have to take measures to track the movement of our enemies and not let them take down my squadron.”
“But... why?” asked Chai-nee Shu, still hiding behind her companion. “Amra, you're undying, after all. And my warriors saw another few undying in your squadron. Why don't you come to an agreement amongst yourselves?”
The cute big-eared dog-faced girl reminded me distinctly of Taisha in her earlier days with her child-like naivete. She had once thought that, if I could just speak with other undying, and they would immediately be ashamed at their unlawful behavior and stop destroying the goblin village of Tysh. How could I explain this in simple words, so the Princess would understand?
“Sweet Princess, the undying are very different, and it has nothing to do with origin. The ability to never perish once and for all gives many undying the idea that everything is allowed, and nothing is punished. They kill simply for fun, especially when they see creatures of other species and races. Among the undying, the majority are people, elves and half-elves, and they don't even think about legality or morals. When they see my orcs or your rougarou before them, they simply kill. But I don't consider the rougarou my enemies, so I was not planning to attack your villages and exterminate your people. I was simply planning to lead my orcs through your territories quickly without getting into any conflicts. We’re on our way past the rapids of the black river, to a place where the undying cannot get us.”
Diplomat skill increased to level 4!
Diplomat skill increased to level 5!
Trading skill increased to level 28!
“I did not know that,” the princess admitted honestly. “I thought all the undying were identically evil. That is why I agreed to the advice of my regent to lure the dangerous newcomers from the fortress and leave them on a desolate island in the forest far away from the rougarou village. If the orcs had returned our ships, and hadn't started making new oars to replace the ones my oarsmen took away, we wouldn't have attacked.”
“You leave guests in a desolate place they aren't familiar with, which just so happens to be an island, then expect them to simply sit with their hands crossed and not even try to leave?! Ah, Princess, your naivete impresses me!”
Chai-nee Shu got embarrassed and fell silent, but instead of her, the druid joined the conversation:
“We treated you the way we treat all enemies. Yes, it was I who suggested my Princess use some military cleverness and lure your squadron away from the fortress,” the regent admitted. “But we became enemies before that. The rougarou are subjects of the Dark Sovereign, and we swore to defend the borders of his territories. We received news of the battle in the swamps and the death of our neighbor the Rat King. He was also a subject of the Dark Sovereign, and our ally. We saw a giant in your squadron wearing the late King’s armor. His magic wand is with the forest nymph, and you yourself are riding the Swamp Wolf Alpha, his former mount.”
Woah! I didn't answer immediately, but first walked up to Baron, who he'd mentioned and thoughtfully stroked the huge dark brown wolf on his powerful furry chest. I never would have thought all this hubbub was due to our victory over the mixed army of the living and undead. It wasn't exactly possible to come to a peaceful agreement with them. The army of the Rat King attacked us as soon as they saw us! But now, when the true reason for the rougarou's hostility was revealed, we could try to resolve the root of the conflict and solve things peacefully. What about declaring to the rougarou that we were not enemies of the Dark Sovereign and were going to meet him and join his army?
Beyond that, as a video game plotline tester, I was interested in being on the same side as all those inhabiting higher up the Styx. What if I managed to join forces with the Dark Sovereign?! I wondered if that was even possible. At the very least, it was worth a try, because it wasn't just an unexplored scenario, but also an interesting way of behaving and, if I could pull it off, it would allow my squadron to walk unimpeded up the Styx through all territories of the Dark Sovereign!
I walked away from Baron, shifted my tone from confident and decisive to tired and pensive, then said:
“I'll admit, I really don't understand why the Rat King attacked my squadron... Orcs have never really been considered one of the 'forces of light,' in fact it's more the other way around, and we could easily have become loyal allies or even subjects of the Dark Sovereign. And also, the Emissary of Darkness, who showed up after the battle, just kept telling us to turn back like a parrot instead of offering different options. We're just looking for a calm place to settle higher up the black river, where all the people and elves of the undying will not follow us. And if the Dark Sovereign could give us some territories to settle, we would develop them and defend them valiantly.”
Now came my opponents’ turn to think seriously. The princess and her advisor walked farther away and started whispering. I didn't listen in. Despite my huge sensitive ears, I just wasn't feeling like it. Valerianna Quickfoot wrote that Max Sochnier's girlfriend Olilissa had been seriously wounded and the Naiad Trader's pet swordfish Claymore had been killed. More than three hundred players had left the Lower Fort and were making their way up the Styx, apparently heading in our direction.
“Ready the boats, and be prepared to leave at any time.”
We needed to move on immediately before this wave of players caught up to my squadron. But here, the rougarou negotiators came to some kind of decision and returned to me. Princess Chai-nee Shu bowed with a proud look and told me:
“Amra, the Clan of the White Lily is prepared to allow you and your squadron passage through our territories. What is more, we will get in touch with neighboring clans and ask them to do the same. Our influence on other subjects of the Dark Sovereign is too small to influence their decision, but we will still tell the cyclopes and mountain giants of your arrival, so they won't attack you out of ignorance.”
Mission completed: Negotiations with the Rougarou (1/2)
Experience received: 4320 Exp.
Opinion of the Clan of the White Lily increased by +15
+5 to Rougarou opinion
Diplomat skill increased to level 6!
Trading skill increased to level 29!
The markers on the mini-map for the Princess and her advisor changed to a neutral yellow color. However, I was no longer hot or cold to their agreement or disagreement, because the Clan of the White Lily couldn’t stop my orcs from leaving by boat but, as for what they said about the other clans, cyclopes and giants, that was just what I wanted to hear. I bowed and thanked the Princess and her advisor for the wise decision then, in a burst of good nature, decided to tell the rougarou about the three hundred undying on the way to their camp.
“They don't know about our camp, so we'll be safe,” the druid said, waving off the threat as inconsequential.
“A village with straw huts on a large island where, in the middle of the square, there is a tall totem with a white flower over a fanged wolf mouth? The undying have already discovered it and will soon flatten it.”
The tranquility instantly flew off Uvari-Dor's face, and the more emotional princess started whimpering in fear. Uvari-Dor Shu reproached me:
“Amra, my tribe could be wiped out. You knew about it but kept silent?!”
“One minute ago, we were enemies, so I had no reason to help you,” I said, giving a just objection to his reproach. “In fact, I was even planning to use your village as a lure to draw the undying and allow me and my squadron to leave. But circumstances have changed. You stopped being hostile, so I honestly told your clan about the appr
oaching danger. And if we were friends I'd even help warn the residents of the island, who don't suspect a thing, to get them out of their doomed village.”
Diplomat skill increased to level 7!
Diplomat skill increased to level 8!
“Can we warn them?” the young Princess asked, looking to her regent and awaiting his answer. But the druid just fatefully lowered his fanged snout after some thoughtful silence and said:
“My princess, we don't have any more boats to send a messenger and tell the peaceful residents of the camp about the approaching danger. I'm afraid the residents of the village are doomed... No matter how intensely pitiful it may be, we are in no condition to help them, and our priority now is to save our very strongest warriors by making sure the undying cannot find them. The skeleton of a warband will survive. We’ll still have our territory and can make a new village. Also, new residents will show up sooner or later.”
“NOOOOO!!!” the young Princess shouted out in despair. “That is a very bad solution, advisor! If we cannot deal with it ourselves, then let's ask Amra and his orcs for help!”
Mission received: Negotiations with the Rougarou (2/2)
Mission class: Rare, racial, time-limited
Description: the village of the Clan of the White Lily will be attacked by players very soon, while the warriors of the clan will not be able to get there fast enough to help. Come to an agreement with the rougarou to work together and reach the village fast enough to warn and evacuate as many villagers as possible
Reward: 32000 Exp., +15 to the opinion of the Clan of the White Lily, +5 to the opinion of all other clans
Penalty for failure: Hostility with the Rougarou
Bonus condition: Rescue all the peaceful villagers
Reward: Loyalty of the Princess of the Clan of the White Lily
Bonus condition: Rescue all the village's warriors
Reward: Loyalty of the Regent of the Clan of the White Lily
Reward if all conditions are met: Alliance offer from the Clan of the White Lily
Time limit: 17 minutes 32 seconds
The Princess begged, promised and even tried to kneel, but her advisor and I didn't allow Chai-nee Shu to lower herself so much, picking her up before she hit the ground. All the same, I wasn’t fully listening, so I didn't give a concrete answer. I was more interested in the mission description. First of all, I opened the map and looked at the distance between my camp and the island village. Four and a half kilometers?! Come on, are you kidding?! Just getting there would take at least half an hour, and maybe even twice that! Why was it giving me so little time?
All my showy pretense and confidence instantly flew away. I needed to act very quickly, because every second counted. And it seemed that, without using magic, there was nothing to be done. I told Valerianna Quickfoot about the situation and ordered her to get in a boat, but not go anywhere yet and wait for the rougarou warriors. I also called VIXEN and told my flying beauty to come to me as fast as she could.
Finally, I got up to the totally despairing and lost rougarou huntress, who was crouching right in the mud and wiping bitter tears from her snout. The regent didn't even try to comfort her, because he understood that any words now would be pointless and empty.
“Princess, I'll help you save your subjects. But you need to trust me. We're going to fly together to the island village of the Clan of the White Lily on my wyvern. It’s the fastest way. The rougarou won't believe me on my own, so I need you to come with. Meanwhile, your advisor Uvari-Dor Shu can talk with the rougarou warriors here on the island, and they can enter the orc camp. My warriors will let them in unimpeded and show them free places in the boats. Rowing to your island will take all our strength, and I'm very much hoping for magical support from the mavka and my shaman. Also... there is a seriously wounded nereid by the name Olilissa in the water next to the island. Uvari-Dor Shu, as far as I know, druids have healing magic. I ask you to help the nereid, because Olilissa is very dear to my friend.”
The regent gave a dignified, barely noticeable nod. The princess then hopped up and threw herself around my neck, embracing me and not so much kissing as licking my face like a dog.
Diplomat skill increased to level 9!
Foreman skill increased to level 50!
You may now choose your second specialization in this skill
* * *
We just barely made it. I mean, VIXEN proved herself above all praise, bringing me and Chai-nee Shu to the village of the Clan of the White Lily in the blink of an eye. The girl was terrified the whole ride and held onto me tightly. The residents immediately ran out of their huts to see what the alarming sound of warning was. And it didn't take them long to pack up. The rougarou just grabbed their most valuable possessions, above all their children and hurried to the dock. But there weren't many boats left in the village, and only a third of the villagers could fit. The others had to wait for the warriors to arrive and quickly take their places at the very last moment. We could already hear the ghastly wail of a great many approaching monsters through the fog. In front of the army of undying, there was a cohort of the most unbelievable pets.
“Let's go! Down that channel! I'll create an illusion of shore and pebbles!” Valerianna Quickfoot commanded, and the magic wand in her hand lit up with a dark blue flame.
The chain of boats with the last runaways hid in the channel. The Princess and I, though, stayed back a bit. The girl was getting some of the clan's valuables and relics from the chieftain's hut, and I was pulling up some large, unusual, white, orange, and light-blue lilies growing next to the totem pole, taking some with the root so I could replant them later.
Mystical Royal Lily (alchemy ingredient)
Dappled Royal Lily (alchemy ingredient)
River Royal Lily (alchemy ingredient)
You are the first to discover these plants in Boundless Realm.
Herbalism skill increased to level 28!
Herbalism skill increased to level 29!
Herbalism skill increased to level 30!
Herbalism skill increased to level 31!
...
Fame increased
Present value: 21
What a successful feat! My boss would be quite satisfied at such speedy leveling of my Herbalism skill! I was reminded that, quite recently, Chai-nee Shu had told me that their village had twice been devastated by undying. But that meant there wasn't a single Herbalist among those players, because no one had discovered these rare yet prominent plants before. My theory that the higher up the Styx I got, the more unknown herbs and flowers I would find was now proven.
Only when attacker markers showed up on the mini-map did I take off into the air with VIXEN. Holding the furry Princess in front of me with one hand as she shivered in fear, I banked a steep turn and, at a blistering speed, carried us right over the forward group of approaching players. In that squadron, there were forty or fifty players, and there were some there of every kind! Elemental Mages, Necromancers, Bowmen, Druids, Paladins... They were going to the doomed village through the water or, to be more accurate, on ice created by their mages. They clearly weren't expecting to see me overhead. After us, there whistled a couple belated arrows. Also, a fireball loosed by a mage flew up into the sky.
Animal Control skill increased to level 48!
Dodge skill increased to level 29!
Riding skill increased to level 23!
“Too bad you aren't a dragon,” I said, patting my emerald darling on the back. “Maybe we could try and melt the ice under their feet. Not too many of them have heavy armor on though, so most of them would be able to swim... Alright, let's make another circle and distract the undying so our boats can get a bit further away.”
VIXEN made a second turn back, but sharply recoiled and even started spinning, letting a huge ballista bolt go past us, followed by a swarm of crossbow bolts and arrows of a more reasonable size.
Successful Agility check
Experience received: 23 Exp.
Dodge skill increased to level 30!
I barely managed to keep hold of the wyvern during her high-octane maneuvers and ordered my mount to fly higher, out of range. I didn't know that our enemies had brought war machinery with them. Also, the players weren’t even remotely surprised by my wyvern... Our midair pirouettes started looking a bit foolhardy. We might not get so lucky next time. What was more, the rougarou Princess sitting in front of me was all green and whimpering through clenched teeth that she had motion sickness. I had to get away, taking a very wide curve and changing flight direction a few times so none of the pursuers could guess where we were going.
As soon as VIXEN got a bit further from the players and disappeared from view, I saw a message from Antonius Just in the local chat:
“It's no use to run, Amra. We're gonna catch your squadron either in the Upper Fort or at the river rapids, where you'll be forced to come ashore. So, let's not waste time and agree right now. You understand perfectly we're interested in you as a vampire. I want to know your terms.”
Mission completed: Negotiations with the Rougarou (2/2)
Experience received: 8640 Exp.
Opinion of the Clan of the White Lily increased by +15
+5 to Rougarou opinion of you
Reward for bonus condition: Princess of the Clan of the White Lily’s opinion increased to +100
Diplomat skill increased to level 10!
Chai-nee Shu's marker on the map changed color not just to green, but straight to blue for ally! I spent some time staring at that change with a satisfied grin, then it hit me — hey, where was the reward for the second bonus condition? And where was the alliance offer from the Clan of the White Lily? They hadn’t lost a warrior, right?! My sister answered my question in a private message:
A Trap for the Potentate (The Dark Herbalist Book #3) LitRPG series Page 26