Book 2 Chapter 4: Plans to initiate. Old friends to kill.

Book 2 Chapter 4: Plans to initiate. Old friends to kill.

As Dantes walked into the glade, he could feel the attention of the other druids slowly shift to him. The woman in the lake was the first to approach, pulling herself out of the water, with her strange creature in tow. She was nude at first, but then some kind of green plant spread across her flesh until it covered her like a dress, even weaving its way through her hair until it was pulled back from her face. He found himself a bit disappointed by that. She was much nicer to look at than Traizen and Murk. If shed been the one to retrieve him, hedve been slower to mention her lack of clothes.

She circled him for a few moments, and he could feel the attention from her eyes going up and down him.

This one reeks of cities and smoke.

Dantes shrugged. I havent exactly had a chance to bathe since I got here.

The twins approached next, their birds taking off from the ground and drifting in a lazy circle around the glade.

I sense that he favors the little ones-

-The things that live in the cracks-

And slip through the dark places.

The twins' voices were the same, and as they spoke they continued one anothers sentences seamlessly. It was mildly disconcerting, but hed seen stranger.

I think its good for someone to be more interested in the little guy for a change, said the gnome with a smirk. He was standing behind Dantes, though he hadnt sensed him moving or arriving there. The massive cat that was with him was gone, but now there was a snake twisted around his body, its head peeking out from the gnomes blue hair.

Everyone, this is You know I never did get your name.

It doesnt matter, said a once again human Murk as he walked toward the lake and dove in head first.

Dantes ignored him. Im Dantes, he said with a smile and an inclination of the head.

He smiles without meaning it. A deceiver, said the dark skinned woman astutely.

Its the way of things where Im from to smile even if you dont mean it. Helps to put people at ease. He followed her with his eyes as she continued to circle him. We also have a habit of exchanging names.

Lorna, she said. And this is Beast.

He looked at Beast. Up close he reminded him more of a Kobold, but larger, fatter, flatter, and scarier. Hes a handsome guy.

Lorna squinted. True.

Dantes turned his attention to the twins.

She is Fern.

She is Ivy.

They are Cloud, and Wind, they spoke the third part in unison, and the falcons gave out cries from above them that made Jacopo flinch slightly.

Dantes looked at the gnome. The snake had transformed again and was now some kind of ferret, rolling around in the grass.

Im Fizz, and thats Thing.

Dantes watched as Thing changed form again, this time into some kind of amalgamation of a duck, and a beaver. An apt name.

Traizen shook his head. Hes the forest. He became one with his locus, his companion, everything.

How does that happen?

Traizen shrugged. Hes the only one who's ever managed it, but when I asked him he spoke as if it was a very simple thing. It requires a binding, a vow, and a sacrifice. Nothing more.

Dantes looked at the tree. He could sense the tremendous power of Berkilak, and of the forest that surrounded, but it didnt appeal to him in the slightest. Power without the ability to enjoy it physically, to count gold while feeling the weight of it in your hands, see the fear in an enemies eyes up close, to fuck. No, being a tree didnt appeal to him in the least.

Im guessing he gets a vote too?

Yes, though hes going to vote in your favor. His trust in the Mother is absolute. In his eyes, if she chose you, then thats good enough for him.

Dantes made his way over to Murk, who he identified as his harshest critic. If he could convince him to vote in his favor, then that would be a good step in paving his way. Murk was in human form, laying against his gray wolf companion by the lake. Near him floated Lorna, laying on the back of her creature and sunbathing as it floated lazily in the water.

Murk.

He bared his teeth.

I just want to talk to you.

No.

Come on, the Mother mustve made me a druid for a reason, eh?

Murk ignored him, instead sitting silently.

Well, I can always give you my theory while you stare angrily at me.

Murk stared at him angrily.

I think she wanted me for two reasons. The first is to tell you how to properly fight against a city encroaching on your territory. Traizen told me about your fallen brothers.

Weak grunted Murk.

It didnt sound to me like they were. Their approaches made sense. Hit and run attacks, using fear, trying to take hold of the offensive. The only problem is, that they didnt know what a city craves. Dantes thought of Rendhold, the largest city on the continent, the only one that was both a country and a city in one. Other countries boasted grander capitals, freer ones, but not matched Rendhold in scale and reach. Hed seen more than his fair share of sailor gawk, or get lost within its massive maze like confines. Its borders were ever expanding, consuming everything inside and outside of it. Cities dont care how many are sacrificed. They just want more. The dead druids attacked people, and thought that was the key, but cities can always produce more desperate men and women wholl take a dangerous job no matter what. The key is to make it costly. Attack the equipment they are using, kill the men that ordered the incursion into your territory to put fear into the citys leadership. Blood is cheap unless its blue, and equipment paid for in gold has more value than labor bought with copper.

Murk stayed silent, but he could swear that the gray wolf he sat on had her ears perked up. I could also get you tools that could help. Explosives, acid, magic items, not for free of course, but Im sure we could find a way to help one another out.

Murk continued to say nothing, just sat there indifferently with an angry expression on his face.

Dantes shrugged. It looked like he may need to find a way to slit his throat before a decision was made, or simply remove him from the immediate area. He was fairly certain hed be easy to bait to a different location, but actually beating him would be hard. He wasnt exactly in his element in the forest, and he didnt have a lot of resources to work with since he hadnt exactly been prepared to travel across the continent into unknown territory with a conclave of druids about to decide his fate. There was also the fact that Berkilak could likely sense what was happening everywhere in the Veridian Expanse. That meant there was little chance hed be able to get away with it.

He clenched his jaw as he moved over to the water to splash some onto his face, Jacopo leaping from his shoulder to drink as he did so. He may wind up benefitting from what was happening, so hed managed to tamp down his frustration, but it was starting to get to him. He wanted to be in Rendhold. He had plans to initiate. Old friends to kill.

Lorna and her Gator seemed to appear suddenly next to him, nearly making him flinch as they emerged from the water.

What was the second reason you think the mother chose you? she asked as she pulled her wet hair away from her face in a practiced motion.